Begin Again Season 1
by JudyRae1982
Summary: This is the first "Season" of my Gossip Girl spin-off show. Though the other characters will be in it too at times, this is mainly about Rufus and Lily. I'm starting off from where Gossip Girl ended.
1. It's a van der Woodsen Life

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 1: It's a van der Woodsen Life**_

Lily van der Woodsen waited patiently outside for her husband to meet her at Cinq Étoiles, which of course translated to "Five Stars." It was the new five star French restaurant that had just opened up. It was already the talk of the town, and extremely hard to get into. Lucky for Lily, she was married to a rich and powerful doctor. True, he might not be as rich and powerful as her not so dearly departed ex husband, Bart Bass had been, but he was rich enough, and powerful enough for them both to live comfortably. Also, there was her own money, and Bart's money. Of course, she had split Bart's money with her stepson Chuck, but she still had more than enough money to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

William finally showed up.

Lily grinned, and held out her arms to him.

He took her into his arms, and they kissed.

"You didn't have to wait out in the cold! It's thirty degrees out here! You should have waited for me inside," William told her as he held the door open for her.

"It's fine. I'm bundled. Besides, it was getting a little stuffy in there. You would think they'd have made their waiting area bigger. They had to know it would be packed the first few months of being opened," Lily stated.

"You would think. The owners are probably stingy, and didn't want to spend the money. They want to make the money, but not have to dish out any more than they have to," William stated as he stomped the snow off his boots on the upscale welcome mat.

"But they make it back with what they charge," Lily said.

"Well, lucky for us, we don't have to worry about that!" William kissed Lily's cheek, then stepped up to the hostess station, and gave their name. "Van der Woodsen."

"Right this way, Mr. van der Woodsen," the hostess said with a smile. She was cute. She was short—she looked to be about five feet tall—but she had sparkling blue eyes that were just stunning. She wore a red velvet Santa hat over her wavy dark brown hair. Her hair looked healthy and shiny, and rested over her shoulders. She wore a cute red velvet dress with white fur trim at the bottom. Around her waist was a black belt with a shiny silver buckle. She wore sheer stockings with black knee-high boots with white fur trim at the top.

"That is a darling little outfit!" Lily commented to her as the hostess sat them at a cozy table for two by the fireplace.

She grinned. "Thank you! The boss thought it would be cute for all the workers to dress up like this. Well, all the female workers that is." She motioned to the waiter behind her. "As you can see, the guys wear the male version." The waiter she motioned to wore red Santa pants that fit him perfectly instead of being baggy. He wore the same back boots, only with a more manly style, i.e. rounded at the toe instead of pointed, and of course flat at the bottom and not heeled. His shirts was a red dress shirt with a white fur collar and white buttons. He also wore a black man's belt around his pants. His hair was light brown, and messy underneath his red velvet Santa hat, but it looked sexy.

"Your waiter will be with you in just a moment!" she said. She smiled politely, and did a little curtsey, then took off back to her station.

"Cute, but a little tacky for a five star restaurant, wouldn't you say?" Lily asked.

William smirked. "I thought you liked the outfits!"

"I do, but I still think it's a little gimmicky for a restaurant like this," Lily said, looking over her menu.

"Would you like to eat somewhere less tacky?" William asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Lily peered at him from over her menu, and returned the grin he was giving her. "Not on your life!"

William threw his head back and laughed. He then took her hand in his from across the table, and winked at her. "Glad to hear it."

She grinned brighter, then went back to look at her menu. The only problem she had now, was choosing one thing when everything on the menu looked so delicious!

~_Begin Again_~

"Ugh! I can't eat a single bite more!" Lily said, patting her semi bloated stomach. After having a starter soup, a main course, and dessert, she felt she was going to burst.

"Everything was so good though," William said with a content sigh.

"Indeed it was," Lily agreed.

Their waiter came back with William's credit card, having run it through to pay the bill. William handed him a hundred dollar tip.

"Thank you, Sir! That is very generous of you!" the waiter said, the surprise written clearly on his face.

"Don't mention it! Merry Christmas early!" William said with a polite nod.

"That was very nice of you," Lily said as William pulled out her chair for her, then helped her with her fur-trimmed petty coat.

William shrugged. "It's Christmastime, so I figured, why not? I'm sure even at a five-star restaurant, he can't be making much, and we have more than enough money to go around. Tis the season for giving!"

Lily pulled him close, and kissed him softly on the lips. "You're amazing, you know that?"

William grinned. "You didn't think that at one point in our life. You divorced me once, then of course there was the whole cancer thing."

"You're a changed man. I can see it. We've been back together for five years now, and married for two years. You're not the man you used to be. Well, you are, but only in the sense of being the man I first fell in love with. And, in all fairness, you did only tell me I had cancer so that you could spend more time with me. True, it was a horrible way to do that, but that's all in the past now." She gently rubbed his arm.

William nodded. "Far in the past, and I promise never to do such a stupid thing again! I still haven't forgiven myself for that."

"Well, you should! I have," Lily said.

William grinned at her, and they nuzzled noses before kissing softly on the lips again.

They then walked with their arms around each other toward the doors.

When they passed the hostess, William winked at her. "Have a wonderful Christmas..." He paused to look at her sterling silver-plated name tag. "Samantha."

Samantha smiled, displaying a row of perfectly white teeth. "Thank you, Sir. You too!"

"Thank you!" William said as he gently ushered his wife out of the restaurant, walking out right behind her.

"She's a pretty one, isn't she?" Lily asked.

"I didn't notice," William said with a shrug.

Lily smirked. "Come on. She was a knockout!"

William shook his head. "You're beyond a knockout, so I only saw you."

Lily kissed him again. "You always have the right things to say."

William shook his head. "I'm just stating the truth!"

They kissed again.

"All right, as much as I hate to, I have to get back to the hospital. I have an appendectomy I have to perform in an hour. I need time to prepare," William said to her then, both her hands in his as he stood facing her.

Lily pouted, but then smiled. "It's all right. It will give me a chance to finish up my Christmas shopping!"

William smirked. "Are you doing any shopping for me?"

"I might be," Lily said coyly.

William put a hand on his hip. "Well, it better be something good!" He grinned to show he was only teasing.

Lily smirked. "Oh, it is. I assure you!"

"What is it?" William asked, sounding as excited as a little kid.

"You're going to have to wait until Christmas to find out!" Lily said, shaking her head.

It was William's turn to pout.

Lily kissed the pout off his face, her hands resting over his chest. "See you tonight!" She bat her eyelashes seductively at him.

"That you will!" he said. Then, after one more lingering kiss, he was off, turning around to smile and wave at her.

She grinned, and blew a kiss at him.

He grinned in return, pretended to catch the kiss, then blew her one in return.

She pretended to catch it.

They continued to grin at each other, then William turned and headed one way, and Lily hailed a cab to take her to Madison Avenue to do her shopping, the happy grin still on her face.

~_Begin Again~_

The truth was, Lily had already gotten William's present. At least, the big one. It was a genuine leather doctor's bag with a gold plate on it that had his initials engraved on it. The doctor's bag he had already was well-worn, and he had had it for years. He was well overdo for a new one. Serena and Dan were holding it at their apartment so that William wouldn't accidentally stumble upon it, or in his case, snoop and find it. Lily grinned at the thought. He never did like to wait for surprises. She would probably pick him up a couple dress shirts, and maybe a nice sweater or two today for him as well.

So, she spent the next four hours shopping for her family and friends. Time sure flew when shopping—especially when she had so many family and friends. She thought of buying something for Rufus. Even though they were no longer husband and wife, they had grown to be good friends. Besides, he was the father of her son in law, and they did share a child together. She picked out a nice Gucci sweater for him in a dark blue green that she was sure would bring out the color in his eyes. After purchasing the sweater, which was her last purchase of the day, she headed out of the store, and down the street, her hands laden with bags.

She could hardly see where she was going, being so laden down with bags and boxes, so she knew she should take a cab. However, this time of the year taxis weren't the easiest to catch—especially when you didn't exactly have a free hand to hail one. Besides, she lived only five minutes away. Getting a cab seemed almost silly.

Suddenly, she slammed into someone, sending most of her bags and packages tumbling to the ground.

She sighed. "Oh, come on!" She wasn't angry with the person she had bumped into. It was her fault for walking without being able to see well. She was just upset that all her nice things were now on the dirty ground, and she was going to have a heck of a time trying to pick them all up. Her arms were still quite full even with the bags and boxes her arms were now free of.

"Sorry, Lil. You came out of nowhere."

Lily looked up at the oh so familiar voice. Sure enough, she saw that the person she had just walked into was none other than her ex-husband, Rufus Humphrey.

"Hello, Rufus." She gave him a peck on the cheek at the same time he gave her a peck on the cheek. "I'm sorry. It was entirely my fault. I couldn't see where I was going, I bought so many things for Christmas! I guess the trick is not buying everything at once!"

Rufus smirked. "Or investing in a cart. If the homeless people can find one, you surely can get your hands on one," he joked.

Lily laughed. "Ha! Wouldn't _that_ be a sight?" She tried to bend down to retrieve her packages, but Rufus stopped her. "Let me. I'm only carrying one."

"Thanks," Lily said. Her eyes then fell upon the bag that was already in Rufus' hand. She was surprised to see it was a bag from the jeweler.

She nodded toward the bag. "Is someone getting something special from you this Christmas?"

Rufus blushed, as if he hadn't wanted her to see it. "Um, yeah." He picked up her fallen bags, and handed her them, but kept her boxes. "I'm going to be proposing to Lisa."

"Oh really?" Lily asked, and eyebrow raised.

Rufus nodded. "Yeah. We've been dating for two and a half years now. I figured now is the time."

"Are you sure about this?" Lily asked.

Rufus smirked. "I wouldn't have purchased the ring if I wasn't sure, Lil."

"Well, it's just how you said, 'Now is the time.' It sounded kind of like you're only doing it because you think you have to after dating her for two and a half years. There's people who date even longer than that before getting engaged, you know," Lily stated.

"I'm sure, Lil. I'm ready to marry again, and I want it to be with Lisa. Besides, I knew her way back when she opened up for Lincoln Hawk. Remember how she opened up for us around the time you married Bart?" Rufus asked.

"Yes. And then again two years ago when she opened up for you guys," Lily stated. She remembered.

Rufus nodded. "We grew close that last time she toured with me, and after our six-month tour, we decided to date exclusively. Now, two and a half years later, I'm ready to marry her."

"Did you have feelings for her when she toured with Lincoln Hawk the first time?" Lily asked. She knew it didn't matter now, but she was curious.

Rufus shook his head. "Are you kidding me, Lil? You know I couldn't even _think_ about another woman as long as I had you."

Lily felt better. Much better, in fact. "And I couldn't even think about anyone but you. Well, there was Bart, but my heart was with you. We both know that."

They stood there in awkward silence for a moment.

Rufus broke the ice. "This is too much for you to carry on your own. How about I walk with you home, and help you carry them?"

"That's all right. I don't want to put you out of your way," Lily said.

Rufus shook his head. "I don't mind at all. You only live five minutes away. It's not a big deal."

"Well, all right then. If you're sure," Lily said. It _would_ be a big relief to have someone to help carry the load.

"I'm sure. Let's go," Rufus replied.

And so they walked toward Lily's apartment. They started off in silence, then Rufus brought up old times again.

"Remember that time that guy tried to hit on you, when we toured The Staples Center in Los Angeles?" Rufus asked.

Lily laughed. "Oh my gosh! I almost forgot all about that! What was that? Nineteen Ninety-five?"

"Yeah, it was! He tried to buy you a drink, and you said no. Then, he traded seats with the person next to you, and tried to offer you a sip of _his_ drink," Rufus reminisced.

"I pushed him away a little bit too hard. The drink spilled all over his shirt, and he called me a bitch with an explicative before that!"

"Then you gasped, and slapped him hard for calling you a bitch!" Rufus said.

Lily shook her head. "I still don't understand why _I_ was the one thrown out," she grumbled. "And all _you_ did was laugh," she then added, shooting him a look.

"Hey—you were handling it fine on your own. If things got out of hand, trust me, the guy would have been out cold on the floor," Rufus assured her.

"As drunk as he was, I'm surprised he wasn't already," Lily stated. "But you didn't have to laugh when I got kicked out."

Rufus laughed. "I'm sorry, but it was funny! You were so mad! You're cute when you're mad."

Lily blushed, not knowing what to say.

"Besides, I followed you out," he quickly continued.

"Yeah, after you finished your beer," Lily said, shooting him the look again.

Rufus shrugged. "Why let a good beer go to waste?"

Lily rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

After another brief moment of silence, she sighed. "Are you really in love with her?"

"With Lisa?" Rufus asked.

"No, Rufus, with Mrs. Clause," Lily said sarcastically.

"Cute," Rufus said just as sarcastically. "Lisa is a wonderful person, and I've known her for years. Also, like I said, I've been dating her for two and a half years. I love her very much. I wouldn't be proposing to her if I didn't. Why the sudden interest in mine and Lisa's relationship anyway?"

Lily sighed. "I don't know. She just doesn't seem right for you."

Rufus stopped walking, and stared at Lily. "Why not?"

Lily stopped too, and faced him. "I don't know. She just doesn't seem like you're type."

"You barely even know her, Lil. It's not like the three of us hang out a lot," Rufus said skeptically.

"I've seen her plenty of times at family get togethers. She seems too quiet for you. She doesn't say much ever," Lily said calmly.

"She's just shy. She opens up when she needs to," Rufus defended.

"She shouldn't be shy when he's a performer. She performs in front of people as much as you do," Lily tried again.

Rufus shrugged. "It's different when you're a performer. I don't know. If you were a performer, you'd understand. It just gives you this invincible feeling, having everyone cheering for you. It feels like you're a better version of yourself. You can be bolder when you're on stage."

"Well, she's too perky. She never shows any kind of emotion. She's always happy, happy, happy," Lily stated.

Rufus made a face of disbelief. "And what's wrong with that?"

"Well, doesn't it get annoying after a while?" Lily asked.

"No, not to me. Why are you picking on Lisa all the sudden anyway? What about you going back to William? He made you believe you had cancer, for Pete's sake!" Rufus said, now sounding annoyed.

"He did it only to be able to be with me. He had fallen back in love with me. It was a dumb thing to do, but he apologized, and he's—"

Rufus cut Lily off. "Let me guess, he's changed."

Lily nodded, holding her head high in defiance. "Yes, he has. He knows what he did was wrong, and he has apologized plenty of times. Besides, that was years ago. It's time to forgive and forget."

"What about the fact that he not only slept with your sister behind your back, but also conceived a child with her, both while you were still married to him?" Rufus asked.

Lily sighed. "Oh, Rufus, that was so long ago! Like I said, he's a changed man. He made a mistake. We all make mistakes. I slept with you the night before my marriage to Bart. Remember that? I'm not really one to judge."

"But you didn't conceive a child with him," Rufus said.

"It's not really all that different. Cheating is cheating. It's not like he purposely planned to get Carol pregnant," Lily defended.

"With William, you never know," Rufus said with a snort.

Lily shot him a look. "Why would he? It makes no sense. What's with your sudden interest in William anyway? I've been back together with him for five years, and you're just now bringing this up?"

"Well, I've been with Lisa for a while, and you're just now bringing _your_ concerns up?" Rufus shot back.

"You're getting engaged to her!" Lily snapped.

"So? Why the hell do you care?" Rufus snapped back.

"I don't!" Lily said, looking away from him. If she had free hands, she'd have crossed her arms. But crossing your arms was kind of hard to do when your hands were holding four bags apiece.

"William tried to break us up. He knew you were married, and he still tried to win you back," Rufus said quietly.

Lily looked over at Rufus again. "What does it matter now, Rufus? Huh? Frankly, our marriage dissolving had nothing to do with William. It was all you."

Rufus laughed. "Are you kidding me? _You_ were being unreasonable!"

Lily was the one to laugh this time. "Unreasonable? Are _you_ kidding _me_? Ivy turned out to be the biggest, lying, most manipulating little bitch I've ever met! The biggest you've ever met too probably! And there are many lying, manipulative little bitches in New York City, so that says something right there."

"We didn't know she was at the time!" Rufus snapped.

"Whatever, Rufus. The thing is, William's and my relationship is none of your damned business, so just drop it!" Lily snapped.

"Well, the same goes for you then! Lisa's and my relationship is none of _your_ business, so _you_ just drop it!"

Lily narrowed her eyes at him. "Give me the packages, Rufus, I can carry them home myself."

"Don't be ridiculous, you could barely walk with everything," Rufus stated.

"I'll manage," Lily said coldly.

"Fine. Here's something else I'm gonna drop then." Rufus purposely dropped the packages back on the ground.

"You're such an ass, Rufus. I honestly don't know why I ever married you," Lily snapped.

"That's funny, Lil, because I constantly find myself asking the same question about why I ever married you. See you around. Or, if I'm lucky, I won't." With that, Rufus headed across the street.

"Well, good then!" Lily screamed out at him, ignoring the stares she was receiving. "Finally something we can agree on!"

She let out a frustrated scream, then bent down, and tried to pick up the boxes that Rufus had so rudely dropped on the ground. In the process, her bags accidentally slipped to the ground as well. She cried out again in both frustration and annoyance. Damn that Rufus Humphrey! He made her so angry! Getting their marriage dissolved was the best decision she had ever made. She gathered up her boxes and bags, then stormed off the rest of the way home, wanting to rip someone's head of. Particularly Rufus Humphrey's, and maybe, just maybe Lisa Lobe's too.

_~Begin Again~_

Rufus stopped by Dan and Serena's on the way home to have them keep the ring there. He didn't want Lisa accidentally coming across it.

"You're proposing? Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you!" Serena had said cheerily. She gave him a hug.

"Yeah, Dad, congrats! I'm glad you finally found someone to make you happy. I thought you'd never find the right one after Lily," Dan said.

"I'm glad you both think so. Lily kept giving me a hassle about it," Rufus grumbled.

"Really? Why?" Serena had asked in surprised.

"She said she didn't think Lisa was right for me. She thinks she's too shy, or something. I don't know. Nothing she said was making any sense," Rufus said, getting even more angry now that he was recalling it to his son and daughter-in-law.

Serena smirked. "My mother can be like that sometimes. I wouldn't put too much thought into it. Sometimes you just have to take the things she says with a grain of salt."

"You'd think she'd just be glad you're not with Ivy Dickens anymore," Dan said.

"I know, right?" Rufus sighed. This whole thing is one of the biggest reasons I'm not with Lily anymore. We're just too different. I don't get her anymore, and apparently, she doesn't get me either."

"Well, at least you found someone who _does_ get you!" Serena said sweetly, her hands over Rufus' shoulders. She hugged him again.

Rufus hugged her back. "I'm so glad we can still be on good terms even though I'm no longer with your mother."

"Trust me, I know how my mother can be. Besides, she's back with my Dad, you're happy with Lisa, and you're my father-in-law. Doesn't get any better than that!" Serena said with a huge smile.

Rufus laughed. "No, I guess it doesn't." He kissed her cheek, then headed for the door. He then stopped, and faced them again. "You're coming to my place for Christmas, right?"

Dan and Serena both nodded.

"We wouldn't miss it!" Serena said.

"Duh!" Dan added.

Rufus grinned, and shook his head. "See you then!"

"See you," Dan and Serena called back in response.

Rufus then left Dan and Serena's, still thinking about Lily, and becoming angrier and angrier the more he thought about her.

~BA~

I don't know why I let her get under my skin. You would think that after almost thirty years of knowing her, she wouldn't get to me like that anymore. You would think. Sadly, she still does. One minute, she can be your best friend, and the most wonderful person to be around. The next minute, she can be judgmental, hypocritical, and let's face it, a total bitch! I love Lily. A part of me always will. After you'v loved someone for as long as I've loved Lily, a part of them will always be with you. You never stop loving them. True, you can fall out of love with them, but you're still always going to love and care about them.

But oh does she make me angry! Today for instance. How dare she go and say that Lisa and I aren't right for each other, or that Lisa isn't right for me? What about William for her? I mean, come on. She got angry with me to the point where she could never be my wife again simply because I trusted Ivy Dickens, and wanted to help the poor girl out. True, she turned out to be the manipulative, lying bitch that Lily knew she was all along. But, how was I supposed to know that? At the time, to me, Ivy was someone who I thought had just been caught in an unfair game. She had needed money, and did what she had to get it. She never really turned wicked until Lily treated her so horribly. Maybe if Lily hadn't treated her like that, Ivy never would have turned out the way she did, and Lily and I would still be married.

Anyway, Lily just couldn't forgive me for that, yet she easily forgave William for lying to her about her cancer, and she also forgave him for cheating on her and conceiving a baby with her sister of all people! That is what makes me the most angry. I did one little thing that wasn't even that bad, and she couldn't forgive me. Yet, when William did all those horrible things that only a sleazy jerk would do, she almost instantly forgave him.

You know what? It was actually a _good_ thing, the whole Ivy situation. It made me see Lily for who she really is—a coldhearted bitch! I'm glad I got out when I did.

~BA~

Rufus arrived home, and took off his jacket. He threw it down so hard on the couch that a loud _smack_ echoed off the walls.

"Wow, something got you in a mood," Lisa said, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around him.

He sighed, and held onto her hands. "More like some_one_," he grumbled.

"Who?" Lisa asked; curious now.

Rufus turned around to face her. "It's not important. _They're_ not important. I missed you."

Lisa giggled. "We were only apart for a few hours."

"That's a few hours too many!" Rufus said.

Lisa smiled. "Maybe we should make up for lost time then." She gently stroked his cheek with the back of her hand, and spoke in a low, seductive tone.

Rufus' eyes lowered with love for her. "Mm, I really think we should."

She grinned, and he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom.

_I don't need Lily anymore_, he thought to himself. _I got a woman who loves me and appreciates me the way that I deserve to be loved and appreciated. And she's not a judgmental bitch either!_

He smiled.

"What?" Lisa asked with a laugh.

Rufus grinned. "I'm just happy to be with you."

"And I'm happy to be with _you_!" Lisa said, kissing his lips.

Rufus kicked the bedroom door shut behind them, then laid her down on the bed. Lily was wrong. Lisa was the perfect woman for him. And he really didn't give a damn if Lily didn't like it.

_~Begin Again~_

Lily was steaming mad. How dare Rufus act like such a jerk when she was just trying to be helpful? All she was saying was that Rufus should be a hundred percent sure before he went proposing to Lisa. Lisa was always so quiet and reserved. That _had_ to get old after a bit, didn't it? It's not that Lisa wasn't nice, Lily supposed. She was. It was just... Honestly, Lily didn't really know. All she knew was that Lisa wasn't right for Rufus.

"I've known you for thirty years. I know you, and I know what type of woman is right for you. Lisa isn't it," she grumbled to herself as if Rufus were there.

Plus, not that Lisa was dumb, but she wasn't exactly the brightest woman on the planet either. Lily honestly didn't think Lisa could be counted on for any deep conversations, or counted on if Rufus really needed someone to talk to.

Lily sighed. She arrived at Dan and Serena's apartment. She had gone home to wrap all the Christmas gifts and hide them. Now, she was at Dan and Serena's to pick up William's new doctor's bag. She wanted to wrap it, and put it with the rest of the gifts now that she had them.

She knocked on the door, and Dan answered. "Hello, Lily! Come on in."

Lily smiled, and stepped into the apartment. "Thank you, Daniel." She had called before leaving to make sure that Dan and Serena would be there, so Dan had been expecting her.

"Where's Serena?" Lily asked, looking around for her daughter, but not spotting her.

"Blair called, wanting her to come do some last minute Christmas shopping with her," Dan explained.

"I see," Lily said.

"Here's your bag. I'm sure William will love it," Dan said, handing her the bag.

"I hope so!" Lily said.

Dan smirked at her. "You know, you really ticked my father off today."

Lily rolled her eyes. "He came crying to you about it?"

"It happened to come up when he came over to have Serena and I keep the ring here. So, you don't like Lisa?" Dan asked.

Lily looked away. "It's not that I don't like her. It's just... I don't think she's the right woman for your father."

"Why not?" Dan asked.

Lily sighed. "Oh, I don't know. Call it woman's intuition!"

Dan looked skeptical. "Is it? Or is it because maybe you still have feelings for my father, and don't want him to get married again?"

Lily whipped her head around to face Dan. "Don't be silly, Daniel. I am a happily married woman! I just don't think she's your father's type. I still care deeply about him as a friend, and I don't want him to get hurt."

"Well, my Dad sure seems to think she's his type. And Lisa doesn't exactly strike me as the type to break his heart. She's a very nice lady. I like her a lot actually," Dan stated.

Lily sighed again. "I just think he's making a big mistake. That's all."

Dan crossed his arms over his chest, and shook his head. "No offense, Lily, but I don't think you're in any position to judge when it comes to someone's choice in spouse. At least Lisa never cheated on him and conceived a child with his brother. And, at least Lisa never made him believe he had cancer just so she could be with him."

"You sound just like your father! And, as I told your father, William has changed. He's not like that anymore," Lily stated, her head held high in defiance.

Dan shook his head and shrugged. "Can someone who did those things ever truly change?"

Lily glared at him. "Yes! They can, and he has. I've seen it."

"Well, Lisa's never done the things that William has done," Dan replied.

"Even so, it doesn't make her right for your father," Lily said, not backing down.

Dan sighed. "Let's just agree to disagree. All right? It's not up to us anyway. It's up to my father. It's not your business, and it's not mine. It's his business and only his business if he wants to propose to Lisa."

Lily nodded. The then pulled Daniel close, and kissed his cheek before hugging him. "Goodnight, Daniel."

"Good night, Lily," Dan said, hugging her back.

Lily then turned on her heal and left.

She sighed as she headed down the elevator.

~BA~

I don't know why I let Rufus Humphrey continue to get under my skin after all these years. It's ridiculous!

What is even more ridiculous is Daniel even _suggesting_ that I still have feelings for Rufus. Hardly. That man lied to me about Ivy, and that is just unforgivable! Don't get me wrong. I will always care about Rufus. We do share a child after all. But as for romantic feelings, I'm happy to say that I no longer have any kind of romantic feelings for that man. Rufus and I just aren't right for each other. He can't handle the world of the upperclass, and frankly, I don't know how to live any other way than upperclass anymore than he knows how to live any other way than, well, lower class. The upper east side in my world. Brooklyn is his.

Our failed romantic relationship aside, I do love him deeply. You can still love someone deeply without being in love with them. And, as I said before, I care about him. I care about him so much that I don't want him to get hurt. I can't explain exactly what it is that I don't like about Lisa, or even why I don't think she is right for Rufus. Just call it a gut feeling. But, as it has been pointed out to me more than once today, Rufus isn't my business anymore. Nor is he my responsibility. He is free to marry whomever it is he pleases even if it's a mistake. I'm no longer his wife, so he's free to make his own mistakes. But let me tell you this. Once this whole marriage blows up in his face—and it will—I will be the first person to say I told you so.

You know what burns me up the most? The fact that Rufus _and_ Dan had the nerve to talk to me about William. Rufus lied to me about Ivy, and took care of her even after what she did to us. Even after he knew how much, I his _wife_ didn't like her. Heck, practically the moment our marriage was annulled, he _slept_ with her.

As for Dan, look how many of his friends he betrayed? I honestly don't know why Serena was so quick to be with him after she found out he was Gossip Girl. So many private moments he exposed of both his friends _and_ his family. Heck, he almost _killed_ Chuck when he as Gossip Girl tipped off the paparazzi with Chuck and Blair's whereabouts. The paparazzi made their limo, crash, and for a while there, we weren't even sure Chuck was going to live. Dan may not have known that was going to happen, but it happened nonetheless.

I'm not saying William hasn't done terrible things. It took me a while to get over what he did to me. But, I've been able to forgive William. After all, I can't blame him for cheating when I myself cheated with Rufus when I was with Bart. As for Lola being conceived, it's not like they planned to have a baby. And, Lola is a beautiful and wonderful girl, so how can I be angry about her birth? As for the cancer thing, despicable as it was, at least he did it so that he could be near me. Besides, it wasn't like I was in any real danger.

Rufus and Daniel have absolutely no right to judge him. No right at all. And, getting back to the Lisa thing, if Rufus wanted to be stupid and marry someone who isn't right for him, then it's his prerogative. But he better not come crying to me when it all falls apart. I tired to warn him. It's his own fault he didn't listen.

~BA~

Lily smiled as she sent her husband a text. _I love you._

William was perfect for her. He loved her just the way she was. He was the only one of her husbands who had never tried to change her. Plus, he was the father of two of her children. With William was exactly where she was supposed to be. He'd changed. He wasn't the old William anymore. Rufus and Dan may not believe it, but she knew it was true, and that was all that mattered.

_~Begin Again~_

William grinned as Samantha finished her shift, ran to him, and hugged him. "Were you waiting long?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. I just got off work ten minutes ago. Are you ready to go?"

She grinned. "You bet!"

They left the restaurant together. "So, where to?" she asked.

"I made a reservation for us at The Mark. I figured we could have a little room service for dinner, and of course we can have a little fun in the hot tub...and the bed." William murmured, burying his nose in Samantha's neck.

Samantha giggled. "Sounds like Heaven."

"You look so sexy in that Santa outfit. You're the sexiest Mrs. Clause I've ever seen!" William grinned at her, and winked.

She smiled. "Except I'm not a Mrs."

"Well, one day you could be. You never know," William said to her with another wink as he took her hand in his.

She licked her lips and smiled. "And what about your wife?"

"What about her?" William asked.

"Where does she think you are now?" Samantha asked.

"She thinks I'm working late on surgery," William answered.

Samantha pouted. "I sometimes worry about her, you know. I don't think I like that you're still with her."

"Don't worry about it, Darling! I'll tell her about us soon enough. It's just something I'll have to break to her gently. She's going to take it pretty hard. She's still in love with me, but I'm just not in love with her anymore. I tried to break it off with her once before, and she cried so much, it guilted me into not breaking up with her. Don't worry though, I'm going to divorce her soon. However, I still care about her as a person, so I just don't want to push her too much right now. I'm going to sort of ween her off me, so to speak. You can understand, right?" William wrapped and arm around Samantha, and gently rubbed her left arm.

Samantha grinned up at him. "You're such a great guy, wanting to let her down gently instead of just telling her to screw off."

William kissed her cheek. "I try."

They grinned at each other, and kissed on the lips, then headed toward The Mark, their arms around each other.

~BA~

I know I shouldn't be doing this, but Samantha is young, and _so_ incredibly sexy. Sometimes I just want a little variety. Of course Samantha means nothing to me. It's just about the sex. I only let her believe there's something more between us because I don't want to make her feel cheap. Besides, if she knew I was only in it for the sex, she'd dump me. She's too hot to not keep around for a bit.

It's not like the sex with Lily isn't amazing. It is, trust me. It's just that, sleeping with only Lily is so routine. I love her deeply, but I have needs. I need a variety. No man should have to sleep with only one woman for the rest of his life! I mean, it's like being forced to eat the same thing every day for the rest of your life, or being forced to drink only water.

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a little fun with other women. It keeps the sex drive in the marriage alive, and it keeps things from getting boring. Of course, I know that Lily wouldn't agree with this. That is why I'm not telling her. She's not exactly the open marriage type. However, if she could forgive me for sleeping with her sister and conceiving a child with said sister, then surely this couldn't be so bad to her, could it? None of the women I sleep with mean anything to me. Yes, there has been other women. Many other women. Each one brought their own unique flavor to the bedroom. It's fun. It keeps me entertained, and it keeps me from being bored in my marriage and running for the hills.

Don't get me wrong. Lily is the one and only love of my life. I just don't think that means I can't enjoy a little fun with other woman too. After all, it's only for fun. And, as long as Lily doesn't know, which she never will, it's not hurting her in the slightest. So, what harm is there in having a little fun with someone else to keep my marriage alive and exciting? No harm at all.

~BA~

William's phone alerted him of a text. He looked at his phone, and saw it was from Lily.

_I love you._

He smiled. She was so sweet. He quickly texted her back.

_I love you too, my Darling. I'm sorry, but the hospital is a mess tonight. I have to perform heart surgery later tonight for a colleague of mine who was supposed to do it, but had to call off work because he has the flu. Right now, I'm taking care of both a stabbing victim, and a gunshot victim. What is wrong with this world, right? Don't wait up. I probably won't get home until tomorrow morning. I miss you already. A kiss goodnight to you. Love you! - Will_

William sent the text to Lily, then turned off his iphone, and slipped it back into his pocket.

"Who was that?" Samantha asked, latching onto his arm.

William smiled, and kissed the top of her head. "No one important." He opened the door to The Mark, and let Samantha walk in ahead of him. He then followed behind her, ready for a hot night of passion with someone other than his wife.


	2. A Fiancé for Christmas

_Author's Note: To the person who said they don't like my switching persons in the story, I agree. You're never supposed to switch persons, but I just read a book where the author did that, and I thought it would be cool to make that my thing for this story instead of a Gossip Girl interruption. To make it not so confusing, I have a ~BA~ before and after it switches to 1st person. Whomever it's focused on right before the first ~BA~ is who's point of view it is. Then, when it says ~Begin Again~ it switches scenes entirely. I hope that makes sense! I'll try not to do it too often. No more than twice per chapter usually! Now, on with the episode! ;)_

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 2: A**_**Fiancé for Christmas**

"Merry Christmas, Rufus!" Serena said, giving her father-in-law a kiss on the cheek as she entered the loft he still refused to move out of.

"Merry Christmas, Serena!" He kissed her cheek on return, and exchanged a hug with her. "Was Dan good to you this Christmas?"

"Yes, I was, thank you," Dan answered for her, coming into the room, his arms laden down with presents.

Serena grinned. "Yes, he was very good to me. He got me a pair of Christian Louboutins I'd been eyeing up, as well as some nice cashmere sweaters, and this beautiful ruby necklace that I'm wearing." Serena held her head back, allowing her neck to protrude a little further, and therefore display the beautiful line of square-cut rubies laid out across her neck. "It's white gold. Isn't it beautiful?"

Rufus nodded. "Absolutely gorgeous!" He smirked at Dan. "I see your new book is doing well."

Dan nodded. "Far better than I ever could have imagined."

"Well, good! That means you can actually afford a decent present for me this year," Rufus joked.

Dan's mouth dropped open. "Excuse me, but I didn't hear you complaining about that waffle maker I got you last year, or the two months supply of waffle mix. Even though it didn't cost much, you still got a lot of use out of it."

Rufus grinned, and pat his stomach. Actually, it was only a month's supply."

"It would have been two if you weren't such a pig," Dan joked.

"If you weren't so cheap, and got me a years' worth, it would have lasted longer!" Rufus joked back.

Serena laughed.

"Hey, no insulting each other on Christmas!" Lisa teased with a smile as she walked into the room from the bathroom.

Rufus smiled, and placed his arm around his girlfriend's waist. He kissed her sweetly on the lips. "It's all in good fun. I love Dan's gifts. All that matters is the thought. I don't care about the money spent on them."

Dan raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, maybe just a little," Rufus admitted.

They all laughed.

"Well, you don't have to worry, because this year, I got you something I know you're going to love," Dan said.

Before Rufus could respond, there was a knock on the door. He headed over to answer the door, and was delighted to see not only Jenny, but Scott as well.

Jenny and Scott both grinned brightly at him as they said in unison to him, "Merry Christmas, Dad!"

"Merry Christmas!" Rufus said, so excited to see the rest of his children at his doorstep. "Come here!" He held out his arms, and, still smiling, Jenny and Scott ran into his arms, and embraced him.

He held them tightly, gently rubbing their backs, and never wanting to let them go. Family meant so much to him. He truly felt blessed to be able to spend this Christmas with the whole family.

"Come in, come in!" he said, ushering them both in.

"Thanks. It's so cold out there. Colder than Boston even!" Scott said.

Jenny shrugged. "I'm used to the cold. I knew we'd get hit hard. We're paying for the mild winter we had last year."

Jenny and Scott then took turns greeting everyone with hugs and Merry Christmases.

"It's good to see you again, Scott!" Lisa said with a kind smile as she hugged him.

Scott nodded. "You too." He hugged her briefly, then quickly moved on to greet Dan. He didn't feel comfortable with Lisa. He had only met her a couple times, and even then it was brief. He just couldn't feel close to her.

After the greetings were finished, they all sat down in the living room. Dan, Jenny, and Scott sat down on the couch, Rufus and Lisa took the love seat, and Serena sat in a plush chair next to the couch, and beside Dan, who was sitting at that end of the couch.

"All right, who wants to open their gifts first?" Rufus asked.

Jenny rolled her eyes. "We all know it's going to be you, Dad. It's been you every year even since Dan and I were kids."

"Well, if you insist," Rufus stated.

The kids all rolled their eyes, but grinned nonetheless.

Lisa smiled. "Open mine first!" She got up, and picked up the correct present from underneath the tree, then handed it to him before sitting back down beside him.

"Look how pretty it's wrapped," he said, kissing her softly on the lips.

"I can't take credit. I had it professionally wrapped," she said with a modest smile.

"Well, thank you for taking the time to get it professionally wrapped for me!" he said.

"Oh come on, Rufus, just open it already!" Serena said, the suspense apparently getting to her.

"All right, all right! Pushy wife you have there, Dan," Rufus joked as he carefully unwrapped the gift from Lisa.

He gasped when he saw what it was. It was an original and rare painting from Jackson Pollock, his favorite artist. He had been looking all over for it to put up in his gallery. He had been looking for it for a couple years now to no avail. He figured it was a lost cause. He looked at Lisa, his eyes wide. "Lisa! Where did you find this?"

Lisa grinned. "I've got connections," she said with a grin and a wink. "I happened to run into an old friend at one of my shows. I mentioned to him that I wanted to try to find a certain painting for you for Christmas. He asked me which one it was, and told me that he has a cousin who works for an art dealer. Apparently, said art dealer's motto is he can find any painting you are looking for, or you get five originals free. That's how sure of himself the art dealer is. I told my friend what painting you were looking for, we exchanged contact information, and two weeks later, he had it delivered to my P.O. box."

"You're the best. You know that?" Rufus asked.

Lisa grinned. "I try."

"That must have cost you a fortune!" Rufus said.

Lisa shrugged. It was a bit pricy, but I did get a good deal since I knew the cousin of his favorite employee." She winked.

Rufus pulled her in for a deep and passionate kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too!" Lisa said with a grin.

Scott loudly cleared his throat. "I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Rufus called out to him as he put on his coat, and boots.

"I need some air," Scott said. "Go on. You can continue opening presents. I'll be right back." With that, Scott opened the door to the loft and left, shutting the door loudly behind him.

~BA~

I know it was probably rude of me to just take off like that, but I had to get out of there. I just couldn't stand seeing my Dad and Lisa all in love and happy together.

Sure, Lisa's nice enough, but I'm like any other kid is. Well, I may no longer be a kid, but my wish is still the same. I want my parents to be together. I finally found out I have parents other than the two parents I grew up with, and that they were happy and in love. I got to see them get married, and proclaim their love for each other. Everything was perfect! Then, not long after, they had marital problems, and then got an annulment so that my mom could stay married to that old jack ass who wasn't even worth the mud on the bottom of her Christian Louboutins. Once that idiot died, I thought my mother and father would finally be together again. But, no. My mother chose to go back to that van der Dick, who is almost as much of an ass as Bart was. The guy made her believe she had cancer, and had even cheated on her with her sister and conceived a baby with her sister. Still, my mother can easily forgive him for that. Yet, she can _not_ forgive my dad when the only thing he was guilty of was being nice to Ivy, whom he had no idea was such a manipulator at the time. He had just wanted to help a poor soul in need, and my mother acts like that is worse than any of the despicable things van der Dick did to her.

That being said, I know my mother is mainly to blame, but frankly, my father could have fought for her more. He could have been there for her when Bart died, and not let that loser van der Dick horn in. I mean, how can my father just let her be with someone like that? How? More importantly, how could they throw twenty plus years of love away just like that? They both have told me they tried to make it work. That they "really did," but I don't believe that for a second. They didn't try hard enough. If you really love someone as much as they did, then they could have made it work. They are both just too stubborn to admit that they were the one in the wrong, and that they still have feelings for each other.

Now, my mother is with a world class dick, and my father is with some shy, timid girl he's barely really gotten to know. Okay, so maybe he knows her. I mean, as he keeps pointing out, he's been dating her for two and a half years. But still. I'm willing to bet all I have that he and Lisa don't know each other as well as he and my mother do. Really getting to know someone on a deep and personal level takes a whole lot more than two and a half years. I think that is why most marriages don't last. People are so quick to rush into them because everyone else does. Also, they think it's expected for them to get married after a certain period of time or they will look weird, or be judged if they don't. No one wants to stop and really get to know a person before taking the plunge.

_Sigh_

Even so, I've heard rumors from Jenny that our father is going to propose to Lisa today. So, whether I like it or not, I suppose I had better get used to having a stepmother. I guess I'll be nice to her. After all, it's Christmas, and I don't want to upset my dad. And, I guess Lisa doesn't really deserve to have me treating her badly no matter how much I hate that she is with my Dad. She's nice enough I guess.

With another sigh, I pull my coat tighter around me, and head back inside.

~BA~

When Scott came in, he saw everyone already had their present from Lisa. Jenny had a new dress that Jenny was just _raving_ over. She seemed sincere in her love for it. Serena had a two hundred dollar gift card to Saks, which Serena seemed to be _very_ pleased about. Dan had an autographed first edition Ernest Hemingway book, _The Old Man and the Sea_, which of course Dan was over the moon to get. _That_ gift had to be worth something, Scott figured.

"Oh, Scott, good! I'm glad your back. Here is my gift to you." Lisa handed Scott a small, wrapped package.

Scott put on a fake smile. It looked like she didn't spend as much on him because he was Rufus and Lily's son. He tore off the paper and found a black velvet box. He opened it up and saw a gold ID bracelet inside. It had his name engraved on it.

"Do you like it? It's fourteen karats," Lisa told him.

Scott was surprised. Okay, so maybe Lisa _did_ spend as much on him as she had the others. "I love it. Thank you," he said, looking her in the eyes.

"Here. Want help putting in on?" she asked.

Scott nodded. "Sure."

Lisa put it on him, and held his wrist up for inspection. "It looks so handsome on you!"

Scott smiled. "Yeah, it does. Thanks." He hugged her. Hey, she had given him something really nice. She deserved a hug. It still didn't mean he had to want her as a stepmother.

~Begin Again~

Rufus was really happy when he saw Scott hugging Lisa earlier. He knew Scott would prefer him to be with Lily instead of Lisa, but it wasn't going to happen. Scott as well as everyone else was just going to have to accept that he was with Lisa now, and that Lily was with William. Though, so far, Scott was the only one of his children that showed a little hesitation when it came to Lisa. He was glad that Scott was seeming to warm up to her now.

Anyway, they had all survived Christmas morning. Everyone loved their gifts. He was extremely happy with the generous gift card to The Waffle House, and the gold Rolex Dan had bought him. He had even shed a tear when he read the inscription on the back of the watch. _To the best dad I could have asked for._

Jenny had given him a pair of slacks, a shirt, a sweater, socks, and shoes, all of which she had designed herself. The outfit was exactly his style.

Scott had given him a photo album of old pictures from when he was a baby all the way up until now. It was basically a book documenting his whole life so far with pictures that had captions under the pictures, describing the moment. Scott said he made one for Lily too. He wanted both his birth parents to feel less like they had missed out on his childhood.

Rufus was touched by every gift from his children. He was a lucky man, and he knew it.

He hadn't proposed to Lisa yet. He was waiting for the right moment. For now, he settled upon giving her a cashmere sweater in her favorite color, and very generous gift cards to all her favorite stores. He had also bought her a new guitar, which she proudly named Bessie, which, Rufus had no idea why, but found it cute anyway. When he asked her why she named it that, she had just smiled, and said something about a secret joke with a childhood friend.

Now, they had all just finished a wonderful Christmas brunch of ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, and buttered croissants. To drink, they had all just stuck with juices and sodas since it was still early.

Now, everyone was packing up their things, ready to move onto the next celebration.

"You are still coming to Lily's tonight for the Christmas party, aren't you, Dad?" Dan asked.

"Um, I wasn't planning on it," Rufus stated.

"What do you mean? We planned on going a month ago!" Lisa said, latching onto his arm.

Rufus looked at her. _That was when I was still friends with Lily_, he wanted to say. But then he'd have to explain to Lisa why he and Lily had fought. "I just thought it would be nice to stay in on a cold tonight. You know, we can cuddle up in bed together, and maybe watch a Christmas movie."

"Come on, Rufus! It won't be the same without you! We're all family. Family needs to be together on Christmas," Serena said to him.

"We'll be there," Lisa quickly said. She looked at Rufus. "We already promised. Besides, I'm sure it's just as warm at Lily's as it is here."

Serena smirked. "My father gets cold the second it drops below seventy. He'll have the heat cranked up. Believe me."

"It's settled then! It starts at six, right?" Lisa asked with a kind smile, still hanging on tightly to Rufus' arm.

Serena nodded. "Yes! See you there!" She hugged everyone goodbye, then Dan did.

"Don't worry. You'll survive," Dan murmured in Rufus' ear as he hugged him.

"I hope so," Rufus muttered back.

"You and Lily are close friends. Don't let one little argument ruin it. Especially on Christmas," Dan said before breaking the hug.

Then, Dan and Serena having finished their goodbyes, left.

Two minutes later, Jenny's and Scott's goodbyes were said before they too were gone, headed for the hotel they had insisted on staying at.

"I'm sorry for insisting we go to the party. I just really wanted to go. I was looking forward to it," Lisa said to Rufus once the others were all gone.

Rufus wrapped his arms around her, and kissed the top of her head. "It's all right. You were right. We should go. It will be fun."

Lisa smiled, then kissed him softly on the lips. "I have to go to the bathroom, then maybe we can do that whole lying in bed and watching a Christmas movie thing early? That way we can have both!"

"Sounds like a plan!" Rufus said with a nod.

Lisa grinned, and happily clapped her hands. "Great! I'll be right back." She then headed off to the bathroom, leaving Rufus alone in the living room.

Rufus sighed, and plopped himself down on the couch. He supposed he could apologize to Lily. After all, she was just being Lily. She was concerned about him. At least she still cared about him. Besides, Dan was right. It was Christmas, and he and Lily were good friends, who had been through a lot together. There was no use in throwing that all away over one silly argument. Even if Lily was the one in the wrong, and acting stupid.

~Begin Again~

"Do you love it?" Lily asked with a smile once William had unwrapped his doctor's bag.

William looked up from is new doctor's bag, and grinned at her. "Love it? I adore it! Oh, Lily, it's wonderful! All of my colleagues are going to be so jealous! They would sometimes tease me that my instruments were going to fall out of the hole in my old one, so it will be nice to have a bag that they envy instead of mock. It's beautiful, Lily. Thank you." William pulled his wife close, and kissed her.

"Okay, ew! No kissing in front of your son please," Eric complained.

"Or your daughter and niece," Lola chimed in.

William and Lily both grinned at them.

"Well, I guess that's the last of the gifts!" Lily said.

Eric nodded toward a lone present underneath the tree. "What about that one?" There set a lone present away from the pile that was Serena's, and Dan's.

Lola got up and walked over to it. She picked it up and looked at it. "It says it's for Rufus from Lily."

Lily instantly felt her cheeks heat up. She hadn't meant to put that one underneath the tree! She had meant to put it with the pile of presents that was for tonight at the party. She looked at William, feeling she probably owed him an explanation. "I got him a gift since he and I are still close. Plus, technically, he is family now, being Serena's father-in-law."

"No need to explain. I understand completely. It's a good idea that we remain on good terms with the in-laws just as we would be with the parents of Eric's husband if he ever were to find one." William cast a glance at Eric at that last part, and raised his voice a bit so that Eric was sure to hear him.

Eric rolled his eyes. "I don't want to rush into anything. I want to get married someday. I just haven't found the right guy yet. I want to be absolutely sure before I commit to something as big as marriage. After all, I wouldn't want to end up like mom whose been marred seven times now." He grinned to show he didn't mean that as a dig at his mother. He was merely teasing her. And getting his point across.

Lily gasped. "I'll have you know one of those marriages was annulled, and the other never really ended until he died the second time. As far as your father, I only count it as one marriage since he is one person. So, actually, I've been married four times."

"Whatever way you spin it, it's too many times for me. I want to be married once and that is it!" Eric said.

"I want that for you too, my Darling," Lily said.

"And what I want that for _you_," William said to Lola.

"Well, I have a boyfriend at least. He's just spending time with his family in Orlando for Christmas. I'm going to join him for the New Year," Lola explained.

"It's not that Hatfield guy, is it?" William asked.

Lola rolled her eyes. "Yes, and his name is Schuyler." Schuyler Hatfield was an actor. William had wanted Lola to find a man that was a doctor like him, or even a lawyer. He didn't think actors were practical things to be. Especially when the only acting job Schuyler had had so far was a dog food commercial where the poodle got more airtime than he did, and a guest spot on a daytime soap opera. Schuyler was currently working as a bartender between acting gigs. Lola had met him through an acting class shortly after she had moved to Los Angeles. It turned out, Schuyler had only been living in Los Angeles about a half a year longer than she had. Also, they were both from Florida, though different parts. It seemed like it was meant to be. They had been dating for a year and a half now.

"I'll shut my mouth. He's a nice guy. True, I wish he was a doctor or a lawyer, but as long as he makes you happy..." William trailed off.

Lola rolled her eyes. "I'm an actress. Do you hate my profession too?"

"That's different," William insisted.

Lola crossed her arms over her chest. "Why? Just because I'm more successful than he is right now? That will change. It's just taking him a bit longer than it did me. That's all. Not everyone can be as lucky as I was. Heck, I worked as a cocktail waitress before I made it as a movie actress, and he is a bartender now. He'll eventually make it big like I did. He works hard. He's not a moocher if that's what you're thinking. He always insists on paying his own way, and most of the time mine too."

"You're right. I'm just being the usual cad that I am," William said, holding his hands up in defense.

Lola smirked. "I wouldn't say you're a cad. Just a little shallow."

William gasped. "Thanks a lot!"

They, as well as Lily, laughed.

Eric, however, was distracted as he heard the elevator doors open. In walked Dan and Serena.

"Hey, Everyone! Merry Christmas!" Serena called out cheerily.

"Serena! Merry Christmas!" Lily got up to hug her daughter.

William, Eric, and Lola stood up as well, and or the next minute, everyone exchanged hugs, and wishes of Merry Christmas.

"Did you get any good loot?" Serena teased her brother.

Eric nodded. "I made out pretty nicely!"

They all talked a brief bit more, then got down to exchanging the rest of the gifts.

"A trip to Jamaica?" Lola and Eric asked at the same time.

Serena nodded. "Dan and I went in on it together. We figured all us kids could go to Jamaica together to, I don't know, bond more. Lately, we've all been so busy, we hardly get to see each other. We figured this way, we can all reconnect. Blair and Chuck, as well as Scott and Jenny are going too." Serena turned to Lola. "I know that you and I have had our issues in the past, but I'd really like to make up for lost times. I think this would be the perfect opportunity to do so."

Lola had tears in her eyes. She walked over to Serena, and hugged her tightly. "I'd like that a lot. Thank you so much!"

"Yes, thank you!" Eric said.

"Group hug!" Serena said, getting teary-eyed herself.

The siblings and Dan all hugged while William and Lily watched with their arms around each other, and smiles on their faces.

The elevator doors opened then, and in walked Scott. "Sorry I'm late. I wanted to drop my presents off at the hotel, and then grab the ones for you guys," he said as he entered the apartment. He noticed his siblings hugging. "I take it you just gave them their Jamaica gift?" he the asked Serena and Dan with a smirk.

Serena looked up from the group hug. "Yes, now put those presents down, and get in here for a sibling group hug!"

Scott laughed, and did as told, setting the presents down by the tree before going over to join in on the siblings group hug.

Lily sighed contently. This was the family she had always dreamed off. It had took her years to get here, but she finally had everything she wanted, and everything was going great.

"All right, all right. That's enough mushy stuff for one day," Dan said.

"It's Christmas. Christmas is supposed to be mushy!" Serena said.

"True, but we're still good on the mushy stuff," Dan said.

Serena rolled her eyes, but smiled anyway.

"Now come here and give your mother a hug!" Lily ordered Scott.

Scott smiled, and ran over to his mother, giving her a tight hug in return. "Merry Christmas, Mom."

"Merry Christmas, my sweet Darling!" Lily said, hugging him tighter.

"Mom, you're crushing me," Scott murmured.

Lily blushed. "Sorry." She released him, but kissed his cheek.

Dan turned to Lily. "Jenny will be here tonight for the party, as will Rufus and Lisa."

Lily suddenly didn't feel all warm and gooey inside anymore. She was thrilled to be seeing Jenny again, but Rufus was still coming? She didn't think he would be after the fight they had had. And why the hell did he have to bring Lisa? She knew he was doing it just to spite her. He had to be. He was probably going to make sure Lisa flashed her big fat diamond ring for all the world (mainly Lily) to see.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Eric asked. "Aren't you excited to see Jenny? Your face kind of fell there for a moment."

Lola laughed. "Actually, she looks more like she's ready to kill someone," she joked.

Lily quickly regained her composure. "Of course I am!" She smiled. "I think that Christmas breakfast we had earlier is just starting to hit me. Excuse me. I need to go find some stomach medicine." She quickly got up and headed to the bathroom before anyone else could question her.

She sighed when she got into the bathroom, and she shut the door behind her. She then rested her back against the door. This was Christmas. She didn't want to ruin it over some argument with Rufus. She would apologize to Rufus. She wasn't about to let him ruin Christmas for her and her family! She would be the bigger person. Besides, as she was seeing this morning, she had a wonderful family, and a wonderful life. Why the hell should she care if Rufus married Lisa? She didn't.

It was settled then. Lily would apologize to Rufus, even congratulate him on his engagement. She would be nice to Lisa, and they would all have a wonderful Christmas even if it killed them. Though, if it had to kill someone, she was leaning toward the victim being Lisa. Hey, an upper east sider could dream, couldn't she?

~Begin Again~

The night of the party had arrived. Everyone was there except for Rufus and Lisa so far. The party had started an hour ago.

_Maybe they changed their minds_, Lily thought with hope.

However, no sooner had she thought that then the doors opened, and in walked Rufus and Lisa, a present in Rufus' right hand, Lisa's hand in his left hand.

Lily sighed. She might as well get it over with, she figured. She walked right over to them, and smiled brightly even though the very _last_ thing she felt like doing was smiling. "Hello, Rufus! Hello, Lisa! I'm so glad you two could finally make it." She hugged Rufus, and kissed his right cheek, then hugged Lisa, and kissed both her cheeks.

Rufus looked surprised to say the least.

"Hello, Lily! Thank you for inviting us. Sorry we're late. We were watching a movie, then fell asleep. I guess the big Christmas brunch we had did us in!" Lisa said with a laugh.

Lily smiled even bigger. Her cheeks hurt now. "Yeah, there's something about eating that makes you tired. Come on in! Take your coats off. The coat closet it over there if you don't feel like walking around in your coat," Lily said, gesturing to the coat closet a few yards to Rufus' and Lisa's left.

"Thank you," Lisa said. She turned to Rufus. "I'll take your coat over for you."

"Thanks," Rufus said as Lisa helped him get his coat off.

Lisa then headed over to the closet to hang up their coats.

Once she was alone with Rufus, Lily decided to apologize before things got awkward. "Rufus, I'm sorry about our argument. Lisa is a very nice lady, and if she makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. Congratulations on your engagement."

Rufus smiled. "I'm sorry too. I know you were just concerned about me. I assure you that I am ready to get married, and that Lisa is the right one. I really love her, and I know that she and I will be very happy."

Lily put on another fake smile. "Well, I'm glad. I take it she said yes then?"

Rufus blushed. "I actually didn't find the right time to ask her yet."

"Oh." Lily found herself feeling relieved, though she had no idea why. "Well, I'm sure she'll say yes whenever you ask her."

"I hope so," Rufus said.

"You hope what?" Lisa asked, coming over, and latching onto Rufus' arm. She smiled up at him.

"I was telling Lily that I got her this gift. She said she is sure she'll love it, and I told her I hope so, as in I hope she does," Rufus lied.

Lily hid a smirk. He was a fast thinker. She'd give him that.

Rufus handed her the present. "I saw this in a shop window months ago, and thought you'd like it."

Lily took the present from him. "Thank you! I bought you something too. Come on in. We can exchange gifts."

So, Rufus and Lisa followed Lily into the main room where the party was going on.

Lily headed over to the lone present left underneath the tree. She had already given out the rest of the gifts, and everyone had loved them. "I'm sorry, Lisa. I should have thought to get you something," Lily said as she handed Rufus his present.

"Oh, don't even worry about it! I didn't get you anything either," Lisa said. "Next year, you'll be on my list though." She grinned and winked.

"And you'll be on mine," Lily said with a smile.

"Thanks! Do you want to open yours first?" Rufus asked Lily.

"All right," Lily said, unwrapping the pretty silver paper with the red bow on top. She was surprised to see a box from Tiffany's. She looked up at Rufus. "Rufus, what's this?"

Rufus nodded at the box. "Just open it and find out!"

So, Lily did. She gasped, and covered her mouth when she saw the silver heart locket with an _L_ engraved on the front. It had a beautiful design on the front with Lilies outlining the heart.

"Open it up," Rufus coaxed.

Lily opened the heart, and couldn't help but smile when she saw a small, heart-shaped picture of Scott, Serena, Eric, and Chuck inside, all smiling so nicely together.

Lily wiped a tear from her eye. She was touched beyond words. She looked up at Rufus. "Thank you," she said, it coming out in a whisper. "I absolutely love it!"

"I saw the Lilies, and thought of how much you love your children, so I bought it, had it engraved, and gathered the kids up for the photo. Scott was nice enough to come down even though he could only stay for a few hours before he had to be back to Boston," Rufus explained.

Lily walked over to Rufus, and hugged him tightly. "This really means the world to me. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Rufus said, holding her tightly in return.

"Well, here's your gift." Lily handed Rufus his gift. "It isn't as nice as what you got me, but I still think you'll like it."

Rufus smiled. "I'm sure I'll love it." He then smirked as he saw the tag on it. "Oh It's from William too. Maybe I should wait to open it until he's here?"

It was from William too? This was also news to Lily. She glanced at the tag, and sure enough, William had scrawled his name underneath hers. When he had done that, Lily had no idea.

Lily motioned him to unwrap it. "No need to wait. I'm the one who picked it out anyway. Go ahead and open it."

So, Rufus opened it, and smiled when he saw the blue cashmere scarf and matching sweater. "They're really nice. Thanks, Lil!"

Lily smiled. "You're welcome! I always loved you in blue. It brings out the color in your eyes. I figured Lisa would like them on you." In reality, Lisa had zero factor in Lily picking out the gift, but she figured she shouldn't make it sound too romantic of a gift in front of Lisa. Besides, there was nothing romantic meant about it. She had just picked him out something she knew he'd like and look good in.

"Thanks again, Lil. I love it!" Rufus hugged her tightly.

"I'm so glad," Lily said, hugging him tightly back. He smelled good, she noticed. It wasn't his usual Hugo Boss cologne. It smelled just as nice though, if not nicer. She wondered what it was.

William cleared his throat then, bringing both Lily and Rufus back to reality.

Lily pulled away from Rufus, and straightened her dress.

"Hello, Rufus. Lisa." William nodded at both. "So good of you to join us."

"Hi!" Lisa said sweetly. For some reason, she and William had hit it off from day one. They always got along splendidly.

Rufus nodded politely at William. "William! Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Rufus!" William said. He then took Lisa's hand, and kissed it. "And a very Merry Christmas to _you_!"

"Merry Christmas, William!" Lisa said with a giggle.

"Thanks for the scarf and sweater," Rufus said.

William looked at him in what looked like confusion, but it only lasted a second. "You're welcome, Rufus! I just figured we might as well start trying to get along now that we're in-laws!"

Rufus nodded. "I'm sure we'll manage."

"Where'd you get this?" William then asked, holding up Lily's necklace, and looking at it.

Lily opened it up for him and showed him. "Rufus got it for me. Isn't it so beautiful and sweet?"

William smiled. "Charming." He dropped the necklace back down to her neck, then turned to Lisa. "I don't know why Lily and I didn't think to get _you_ anything. I'm very sorry."

"As I told Lily, I didn't get you guys anything either, so don't even worry about it. I'm just happy to be here!" Lisa said.

William smiled politely at Lisa. "I'll see you around the party then!" He nodded at Rufus. "Good to see you here, Rufus."

"Thanks. Good to see you too," Rufus said with an obvious lack of enthusiasm.

William then turned to Lily. "Would you like to dance, my Love?" He took her hand in his, and kissed it. Christmas music was playing, and almost everyone else was dancing.

"Sure!" Lily said with a smile.

William then dragged her out to dance before she could even tell Rufus she'd talk to him in a bit.

William twirled her around to Brenda Lee's "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree."

Lily laughed as he dipped her, then brought her back up. William was such a good dancer. She loved dancing with him!

Lily was momentarily distracted when she saw Rufus and Lisa dancing crazy not far from her and William. Rufus looked over at her just then, and their eyes met.

Lily looked away, and pulled William closer to her. She kissed him deep and passionately. She didn't know why she suddenly felt the urge to show Rufus how strong hers and William's love was for each other, but the urge was suddenly there, and she was going for it.

However, this seemed to get Rufus going as well. He dipped Lisa way down, and kissed her passionately. The kiss lasted half a minute.

Lisa was panting, and looking very surprised when he finally brought her back up for air. She licked her lips, and puled him in for another kiss before they continued to dance crazily, laughing together as they made fools of themselves with their bad dance moves.

Lily would have thought they'd have better dancing skills, being performers and all.

The dance war went on until the song was over, both couples seeming to want to top the other when it came to the love department.

When the song was over, Lily asked William to please get her some egg nog. After a brief kiss to the lips, he went off to get her some.

Lily looked to see that Lisa was also headed to the egg nog table, and was laughing and joking with William.

Lily took the opportunity, and walked right over to Rufus. He had his back turned toward her, so she tapped him on the shoulder.

Rufus turned around to face her. "Yes?"

"I'll admit, you and Lisa look pretty in love. However, neither of you can dance." She grinned and winked at him.

Rufus smirked. "I guess taking dance lessons should be a New Year's resolution for Lisa and I then."

Lily smirked. "If you don't want to embarrass yourselves in public again, maybe you should."

"You always were one of the nicest people I ever met!" Rufus said sarcastically.

Lily shrugged. "I'm just a woman who speaks my mind, Rufus. You know that. Besides, I'm mainly just teasing you. As I said before, I'm really glad you're happy."

Rufus nodded. "And I'm really glad _you're_ happy even though I don't understand how it's William that makes you happy."

Lily sighed. "Let's not go there again, Rufus. William is a wonderful man, and I am _beyond_ happy with him. He is the love of my life. Is Lisa yours?" She was starting to get annoyed again.

"And let's not go _there_, Lily," Rufus said, sounding a little annoyed himself.

"I'm just saying, if you're really sure she's the one, then how come that rock you bought her isn't on her finger yet?" Lily said casually.

"I told you, I'm looking for the right time," Rufus stated.

Lily smirked. "You're not ready. If you were, she'd have the ring on her finger right now."

William came over with the egg nog then, and handed one to Lily. "Here you go, my Love."

Lily took it from him, and kissed him sweetly on the lips. "Mm, yours tastes better," she said, licking her lips, which had traces of his egg nog on it from the kiss.

William smirked. "But you didn't even taste yours yet!"

"I don't need to. I know for a fact it tastes better off you lips!" Lily said.

William's eyes lowered with love for her. "Well, in that case..." He took another sip of his egg nog, then kissed her deeply.

Lily grinned after a moment of kissing. She licked her lips. "Mm... Delicious!"

William grinned too, and took her hand, leading her away toward a more dark and private are of the party.

Lily suddenly stopped as she heard Rufus' voice loud over the music.

"Will someone please turn the music off for just a moment?" Rufus called out. "I have an announcement to make!"

Lily suddenly felt sick. She turned around to see Rufus holding Lisa's hand.

Lisa looked curious, apparently having no idea what was about to go down.

"What's wrong?" William asked Lily with concern in his voice.

"I need to sit down for a moment. I suddenly feel nauseous," Lily said.

"All right," William said, gently taking her by the arm, and leading her to the couch, with was thankfully unoccupied and only a yard away.

Lily sat down. This was it. She knew what was coming, and she was _so_ not ready for it!

~Begin Again~

Everyone was quiet, the music turned off. Rufus was nervous, but he figured it was now or never.

"Actually, it's more of a question than an announcement." He turned to Lisa. "We've been dating for two and a half years now, and each day with you has been a dream come true. I always hear about people finding the one great love of their life. I was so jealous of them. That is until now. Now that I have you, I no longer have to be jealous because I've found the one great love of my life, and that's _you_. That's why I decided that I have to have you forever. I never want to lose you."

Lisa had tears in her eyes, and she placed her had over her mouth.

Rufus was so shaky, he was surprised he could balance as he got down on one knee. "So, I want to ask you a question. Lisa Anne Loeb, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?" Rufus then took out the ring box from his pocket.

Lisa was full on crying now as he flipped open the ring box lid.

She nodded through her tears. "Yes! I feel the same way about you! Yes, Rufus, I _will_ marry you!"

Rufus smiled so big his cheeks hurt. "You've just made me so happy!" he said. He took out the ring, and slid it on Lisa's left ring finger as everyone applauded and cheered them on.

"It's so beautiful!" Lisa cooed.

"I'm so glad you like it!" Rufus said happily. He stood up, and he and Lisa embraced before kissing in such a way that one would think it was their first kiss as husband and wife.

~BA~

I'm _so_ happy. Seeing Lily with William made me realize that I have a wonderful woman. Lisa is nothing like William, nor is she stupid like Lily. I know that sounds nasty to call Lily stupid, but she is. She has never been smart when it comes to men. She always picks losers. And, not to sound vain, but he had a great guy in me. I never lied to her or cheated on her. I never had people killed. The only thing I was guilty of was loving her too much. I wasn't like the other husbands of hers, but she still kicked me to the curb. Lisa would _never_ do that to me. I wasn't going to be like Lily. I wasn't going to lose the one good constant in my life. I knew a good woman when I had her, and this time I wasn't going to let her go. So, I proposed, Lisa said yes, and I know that I will finally get that perfect life I so deserve. I just feel bad for Lily, for everyone knows whether they want to admit it or not that that marriage of hers is going to end up blowing up in her face. And, as much as I love Lily, I just can't wait for her any longer. I can't be the guy whom she goes to every time something goes wrong, then ditches the second she finds someone she likes better. I will no longer be her goto guy, and I will _certainly_ no longer be there to pick up the pieces for her. Sometimes a guy just has to cut the cord, and when it comes to Lily and I, the time is now.

~BA~

"Congratulations to you both!" Lily said to Rufus and Lisa as they prepared to leave the party.

Lisa smiled brightly at her. "Thanks, Lily! I'm just _so_ happy right now. I guess it's good you two didn't work out. If you had, you wouldn't have William, and I wouldn't have Rufus!"

Lily smiled. "I agree!"

"You two make a beautiful couple," William said, his arm around his wife. "Congratulations."

"Thank you so much!" Lisa said.

Rufus kissed Lisa. "Ready to go?"

"Yep!" Lisa kissed him back.

Rufus then left with Lisa, catching Lily's eyes right before the elevator doors closed in front of him and Lisa. It had been quick, but brief as the moment had been, he saw the hurt in Lily's eyes. He didn't know why she was so upset. She had moved on too. The thing he understood even less is why he too felt sad as he looked into her eyes. He guessed a part of him would always love Lily, and maybe _that_ was the part that was sad. It didn't matter though. He was marrying Lisa, and that was all there was to it. He loved her, and Lisa was his soul mate. Lily never really had been. She couldn't have been. He and Lily were just too different. They had tried, and they had tried hard, but it hadn't worked. So, now, it was time to say goodbye to that era of his life, and hello to the new era of his life.

He grinned and Lisa, and pulled her close for a kiss.

She sighed contently as she hungrily kissed him back. "I can hardly wait to be your wife," she said with a smile, gently nuzzling her nose against his.

"And I can hardly wait to be your husband!" he said, kissing her again.

_Then maybe I can finally let go of Lily_, he thought. _All of me and for good_.

Hey, a Brooklyn man could dream, couldn't he?

~Begin Again~

Lily watched as Rufus and his new fiancé disappeared behind the elevator doors. They were the last guests to leave. Eric was hanging out at the hotel with Jenny, and Lola and Scott had both left before the party. Lola to get home to spend a quick Christmas with her mother before flying out to Orlando in a few days to be with her boyfriend. Scott to spend Christmas night with his adoptive parents. So, it was just Lily and William now.

Lily sighed.

"They're going to make a wonderful couple. They're so cute together. Plus, they tour a lot together. They're just perfect together, aren't they?" William asked.

Lily looked up at him. "That's a lot of togethers in one sentence!"

William shrugged. "So it is, but it's all true."

"I'm going to go take a bath," Lily announced.

"All right. Are you feeling any better? Maybe I should take a look at you," William said with concern.

"I'm fine, really. I think I just had a little too much to drink. A nice bath will relax me," Lily stated.

"All right. I'll go run your bath water for you," William said, gently rubbing her back. "I'll even put your favorite bubbles in it."

Lily smiled weakly. "Thank you." She kissed William softly on the lips, then watched him disappear up the stairs.

Once he was gone, she threw herself down onto the couch, and sighed. "What is wrong with me?" she asked quietly. "Why the hell do I care so much?"

She then got up, and poured herself a glass of red wine, despite having told William she had drank too much. She swallowed it all down in one gulp, and set her glass aside. Rufus shouldn't be marrying Lisa. He just shouldn't be.

~BA~

I don't know why I feel so depressed. I guess, even though I have long since moved on from Rufus, a part of me will still always love him, and that part of me is reluctant to let him go. That is why I'm feeling so down. It feels weird that another woman is going to have the man that I loved for over twenty years. Twenty years is a lot of time. You can't just forget someone, or get over them completely when you loved someone for that long. It wasn't that I was still in love with him. He and I have been over for a very long time now. I guess maybe I was mourning an era more than I was mourning what was in said era. Sometimes change is hard to take. However, change can also be good. The more I think about it, maybe it's actually a _good_ thing that Rufus is getting married. I think this will be the final push I need to let him go completely. Because, Lord knows he and I were never good for each other. We both tried to mold the other into what we needed as individuals, and it just didn't work. You can't change someone who doesn't want to be changed. At least with William I never have to feel guilty about who I am. With Rufus, I always felt guilty for not being the woman he wanted and needed me to be. With William, I am exactly who he wants and needs me to be.

I suddenly feel better. I head upstairs to see if William would like to join me for that bath.

~Begin Again~

Lily was going to ask William to join her for her bath, but when she got to her room, and took her locket off so as not to get it wet, she felt the depression start to sink in again. She saw Scott's smiling face in the locket, and it made her think back to the time where she and Rufus had finally found their son. It was at their wedding, and they married, being so happy to not only be married to each other, but to have found their son as well. It just seemed like it was meant to be. Except, it wasn't meant to be. It didn't take long after their marriage for everything to go to hell.

William was in his at home office, talking quietly on the phone. Lily could hear him across the hall from behind the closed door. She wondered whom he could be talking to so late on Christmas. She figured it was probably his mother. He had mentioned earlier about wanting to call her.

She sighed as she stripped off her clothes, and grabbed a clean pair of underwear, and a clean night gown. She then headed into the bathroom, placed her clean clothing on the bathroom counter, and then climbed into the water. It was as warm as she could stand it, and filled to the brim with bubbles—just the way she liked it.

She turned off the water, then lay back, resting her head on her white bath pillow, and closed her eyes.

As Rufus face filled her vision, she felt the tears fall silently down her cheeks.

When proposing to Lisa, he had said that _Lisa_ was the one great love of his life. Meaning, not her. Not Lily.

Lily sniffled. "Goodbye, Rufus," she whispered. She and Rufus weren't right for each other. They never had been, and it was over now. It was for the best after all.


	3. Ex and the City

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 3: Ex and the City**_

"I can hardly believe New Year's Eve is in four days! Where did the year go?" Lily asked as she sat on the couch with William while they drank their coffee together.

William nodded. "Time just flies by when you're older. Remember being a kid where the time just seemed to drag before summer vacation?"

Lily took a sip of her coffee and nodded. "Now the summers come and go as quickly as the rain falls, it seems."

"Amen to that!" William sighed, and put down his now empty coffee mug. He kissed Lily's cheek. "I have to go now."

Lily looked at him. "Already?"

William nodded. "I'm afraid so. Duty calls. Don't worry though. I only work a single shift today, so I'll be home and able to have dinner with you tonight. Hey, maybe we can even go see Les Misérables. You've been wanting to see that, right?"

"Yes! That sounds wonderful, actually. I've definitely been wanting to see it!" Lily said, excited now at the prospect of seeing it.

"Why don't you order the tickets? We'll go to dinner, and top the night off with the movie?" William asked.

Lily set her coffee mug down on the coaster next to his, then pulled him in for a passionate kiss.

William grinned, and licked his lips when they broke the kiss. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Except for one thing," Lily said.

William raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Well, you said we'd top off the night with the movie. I don't think the movie has to be the end of our night when there's so much more we can do at home...in the bedroom," Lily explained.

William moaned. "I like the way you think!" He quickly kissed her on the lips once more, then stood up. "I'll see you at six!"

"Wait!" Lily stood up, then pulled him in for a longer, more passionate kiss than the quick peck on the lips he had just given her.

He moaned, and licked his lips. "Tonight can't come soon enough!"

Lily grinned, then he slipped on his jacket and shoes, picked up his doctor's bag, and then got onto the elevator. He blew her a kiss.

Lily was able to blow him a quick kiss back before the doors shut, and they were gone from each other's sight.

With a happy sigh, Lily headed to the computer, and ordered their movie tickets. Then, she called up their favorite French restaurant other than the hard to get in one, and made them dinner reservations. She figured they might as well make it a French themed night with French food then a French movie. Then they'd head home to bed and do some French kissing with a whole lot more. After all, there was a lot you could learn from the French.

She smiled at the thought, then sat back down on the couch to finish her coffee, the smile still on her face.

~Begin Again~

"What's wrong?" Rufus asked when his fiancé hung up the phone with a sigh. "You look troubled."

Lisa turned to him. "That was my sister, Debbie. She was supposed to go to Las Vegas this weekend with her friend, but her friend got sick, and the show tickets she has to both Cirque du Soleil and Celine Dion are nonrefundable. Now, she wants me to go with her so that it doesn't all go to waste. She says she misses me, and had been wanting to do a sister vacation together anyway."

"But this weekend is New Year's Eve and New Year's," Rufus stated.

Lisa nodded. "I know. That's why I told her I had to think about it."

Rufus sighed, and gently rubbed her back. "You know what? Go. Debbie is your sister. This will be a nice trip for you two to take together. Besides, you and I will be married soon. We're going to have lots of New Year's Eves and New Years to spend together."

Lisa smiled at him. "Really? You wouldn't be angry?"

Rufus scrunched his eyebrows together. "Angry? Why would I be angry? You're going for a fun time with your sister, not some young, hot, male stripper looking for love."

Lisa giggled. "You're such a nut!"

Rufus grinned. "All I ask is that, if you do find some hot, young, male stripper looking for love, you go the other way. Okay? Either that, or let your sister take care of him. Knowing her, I'm sure she'd love to."

Lisa nodded. "You'e probably right!"

They both laughed.

"Seriously though, you know you're the only man for me, and I can hardly wait to marry you." Lisa lifted Rufus's chin up, and gently kissed his lips.

"Mm, and I can hardly wait to marry you too," he said after breaking their kiss. He licked his lips.

"So, when do you leave?" Rufus asked her.

"I leave Friday to spend the night at her place, then we have an early flight out to Las Vegas the next morning. I know it would be a lot easier just to fly straight from here to Las Vegas, but she already has the plane tickets, and I figured it might be more fun to fly out together than alone. Besides, this way we won't have to screw around looking for each other when we get there," Lisa explained.

Rufus nodded. "True."

Lisa's face suddenly lit up. "Hey, maybe we can get you an extra ticket, and you can come with us!" she said, suddenly excited at the prospect.

Rufus shook his head. "No. I'm sure I was not factored into the equation when your sister suggested the trip to you. It's a _sisters_ weekend—not a sisters and fiancé weekend. She'd just end up feeling like the third wheel."

Lisa sighed. "You're probably right." She looked up at him. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

Rufus nodded. "I'm positive! Now go call your sister back so she knows she doesn't have to fret over whether the trip will go to waste or not."

Lisa grinned. "You're the best!" She pulled him close, and kissed his cheek with a loud, "Muah!"

Rufus grinned, his eyes lowered with love for her. "And that's why you're marrying me."

Lisa grinned, and nuzzled her nose against his. "Mm, indeed it is." She quickly kissed him on the lips, then ran of to call her sister, and tell her that she'd be joining her in Vegas.

Rufus watched his fiancé run off happily, and sighed with contentment, knowing that he had made the right decision to both marry her, and let her go on this trip. He was so happy that, for once in his life, we was making right decisions all around. It was good to be Rufus Humphrey. He grinned at the thought.

~Begin Again~

William got out of work, and turned his phone back on to see if anyone had left him a message. The only one who had left him a message was Samantha.

_Hey, William, it's me. I was just wondering if you're free tonight. I'm looking forward to seeing you. I missed you on Christmas. I'm glad you called though. But, I have to say, I have't heard from you since. You promised we'd get together soon. Are you free tonight? What about the New Year? You never got back to me about it. Call me! _

He sighed as the message ended. It was time to break things off with Samantha.

He quickly slipped into the hospital's bedroom that was for doctors to take naps in when they had double shifts. No one was currently in there, so he shut the door and locked it, then dialed up Samantha's number.

"Hi! I was waiting for your call. Where were you?" Samantha asked.

William held back a smart comment. This girl was getting far too clingy for his taste. Yes, breaking it off with her now before things got worse was the best way to go, he knew. However, before he could respond, she spoke up again.

"I miss you, Willie! I was hoping we could get together for the New Year," she said.

William winced. Boy how he hated being called Willie! It sounded so juvenile. "I don't know. My wife might start getting suspicious if I don't spend New Years with her."

"Oh come on, Willie! You spent Christmas Eve _and_ Christmas with her! It's my turn now. Please? I was really looking forward to it!" Samantha whined.

William sighed. "Samantha, look, I—"

Samantha cut him off. "I even went out and bought a new piece of lingerie for the occasion. You know the kind that's completely see-thru?" She lowered her voice. "There's even a special tear away section over the crotch area, if you know what I mean."

William couldn't stop the moan from escaping his lips. He knew what she meant. He had seen the kind. Well, he supposed one last night of passion wouldn't do any harm. "All right. I'll work something out for New Year's Eve. But my hands are tied for New Years!"

Samantha squealed with delight. "Yay! Can we get together before then too?"

William sighed. "I wish we could, but I'm really swamped with work. You know, that's the life of a doctor."

"I totally understand. I'm just happy I'll have you for New Year's Eve." Samantha lowered her voice again, this time to a seductive purr. "And I do mean I'll have you."

William licked his lips. "I'lll be counting the moments."

"Me too," Samantha said in a breathy tone. "Goodbye, Willie."

"Goodbye, Samantha." William then hung up the phone. He knew it was going to take some thinking to come up with a good excuse to bail out on New Year's Eve. He'd be leaving Lily alone. But he wanted to get the Samantha break up over with. This way, Samantha could be gone by the new year.

He knew he really should have just cut things off right then. That would be the right thing to do. But, in reality, what man could resist tear-away-crotch lingerie on a hot, young brunette? Not William van der Woodsen! That was for sure.

~BA~

I couldn't say no to Samantha's offer. I mean, come on. A tear-away crotch? It gets me hot just thinking about it! I may be a lot of things, but I fool, I most certainly am not! I'd be an absolute fool to turn that down. After all, Samantha is young, hot, and sexy, and an animal in the bedroom. Lily is sexy and beautiful, but she is far too classy and proper to do anything too spontaneous in bed. I know it would be a definite no if I asked her to wear crotchless lingerie. In fact, knowing her, she'd probably make me feel bad for even suggesting she wear such a thing.

It wouldn't be hard to make something up to Lily. She was always very supportive of my work, and never questions me when it comes to work. That was part of why it was so easy to convince her that she had cancer. Which, now that we're on that subject, I don't know why she took that so badly at first. After all, I did it only to spend more time with her. Besides, you would think she'd have just been relieved to find out she was fine, and not in any real danger!

Anyway, back to Samantha. I'd enjoy one more hot night with her, and then that would be that. I'd end it with her, and move onto someone less clingy. You know it's time to let them go when they expect you to call them all the time, and when they want to be with you every waking moment of their lives. I mean, come on! Everyone needs a little space every now and then. Even with Lily, I need some time apart. Don't get me wrong, I love her. She is my life! But spending so much time with the same person day after day is just a little much. Don't ya think?

So, after New Year's Eve, I'll break it off with Samantha. No need for me to worry though. I knew there are dozens of women out there just waiting to have a piece of William van der Woodsen. A piece that I am more than happy to give them.

~BA~

"You look ravishing! Just let me shower quick, and get changed, then we can go," William said upon arriving home and seeing Lily all dressed up for their date that night. He kissed her softly on the lips.

Lily smiled. "All right, but hurry. Our dinner reservations are in forty-five minutes!"

"Give me fifteen," William said, kissing her again. "I do have some bad new though. About New Year's Eve."

Lily pouted. "What?"

"This old patient of mine isn't doing well at all. She is too sick and elderly to leave her house, so her son called the hospital to talk to me. Apparently, I am the only one she wants to take care of her. I have to head out to The Hamptons this weekend to take care of her," William explained.

"Why does it have to be this weekend?" Lily asked.

"She's really sick. Her daughter and her daughter's husband are visiting now. So, I can't come down now, but they leave on Friday evening, so I'll leave first thing Saturday morning. Her son thinks it's best I get there right away. He doesn't trust to leave her untreated through the New Year. Heck, he doesn't even know if she'll make it past the new year. I know it's New Year's Eve, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't do everything I could for her. I'm a doctor, and I took an oath. She was always such a nice lady, and a really dear patient of mine." For once in his life, William was happy for that month of acting classes he took when he was a teen. They had never brought him any luck career-wise, which is why he was so down about Lola and her boyfriend's careers. At least the classes were being put to good use now.

Lily hugged him. "You definitely need to go. I completely understand! I love that you're so good to your patients!" Lily kissed him sweetly on the lips. "You take as long as you need."

"I'll be back sometime New Year's Day. Don't worry. And, I love you too. Thank you for being so understanding." William kissed Lily a little more passionately.

Lily licked her lips as she broke the kiss. "How could I not be understanding when it comes to this? Now go and get ready! I don't want to miss our dinner reservations or the movie!"

William laughed, and gave her a hard kiss on the mouth, followed by a loud, "Muah!" Then, he rushed toward the stairs. "I'll be down in fifteen!"

He smiled to himself when he got up the stairs. Mission accomplished.

~Begin Again~

"I'm really going to miss you, you know. Three full days without you isn't going to be fun. That's not even including the rest of today!" Lisa pouted, and toyed with the buttons on Rufus' shirt as they stood facing each other in the airport.

Rufus gently stroked her hair. "I know, but it will go by fast. I promise you. Besides, your sister will be there, and you're going to have a fun time with her. I know it is going to be more fun than you think!" He winked at her.

Lisa smirked. "Especially if she and I find some of those hot, young, male strippers you were talking about!" She clicked her tongue, and winked at him.

Rufus play gasped. "Hey, hey, hey! We had a deal about that! Remember?"

Lisa giggled. "You sound like Fat Albert!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Rufus repeated, only this time in his best Fat Albert impersonation.

Lisa laughed even harder. "Who needs a hot, young, male stripper when I have you?"

Rufus thought about that for a moment. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not!" he teased.

Lisa grinned, and pulled him in for a deep and passionate kiss. "It's most definitely a compliment," she purred. "You're way hotter than any hot, young, male, stripper. And you're not old either! Now, when we're in our seventies, we'll be old. But, until then..."

"And when we're in our seventies, we're gonna say that we're not old, but people in their eighties are," Rufus added.

Lisa nodded. "And when we're in our eighties, we can say we're not old, but people in their nineties are."

"And when we're in our nineties, we'll be dead in ten years or less anyway, so it won't matter that we're old as dirt," Rufus finished.

Lisa laughed. "Stop it!" she playfully pushed Rufus.

They grinned at each other, then took hands, and kissed.

Lisa then sighed as she broke the kiss. "All right. I guess I should be going now. I'll call you on New Year's Eve at midnight your time, all right?"

Rufus' eyes lowered with love for his future wife. He nodded. "I'll be waiting for your call."

They kissed again, their hands still in each other's.

Then, with a kiss to Rufus' cheek, and a breathy "goodbye," Lisa was off to security with her carryon. She turned around on her way there, smiled at Rufus, and blew him a kiss.

Rufus smiled back at her, and pretended to catch the kiss before blowing her another one.

She pretended to catch it, then brought it to her lips and gave Rufus a longing look. Then, she turned back around, and headed through airport security, now out of sight.

Rufus sighed, then headed out of the airport. He missed her already.

~Begin Again~

"Oh, I wish you didn't have to leave tomorrow! I'm going to miss you so much!" Lily said, pulling her husband closer. They were lying in bed, after just having made love. They now held each other close.

"I know, but I'll be back later in the day on New Year's, so we'll at least have that," William murmured, gently stroking his wife's hair.

Lily kissed William's right pectoral. "And we still have all day together. Right?"

William grinned at her. "Yep! I took the whole day off."

"So, what should we do today?" Lily asked.

"Well, I was thinking we could go out for lunch, and then I could take you shopping. You can buy whatever it is your heart desires!" William informed her.

Lily looked up at him with a smirk. "You know, you don't have to bribe me. I already said I'm okay with you going to the Hamptons. You need to be there for your patient. I may miss you, but it doesn't mean I don't understand, or that you need to bribe me before you can go."

"I know that. I'm not trying to bribe you. I just want to see a smile on my wife's face," William told her.

"You make me smile just by being my husband," Lily told him, resting her head on his chest now.

"I also know _that_. I just wanted to buy you some things anyway. But, if you'd rather not go shopping and have me buy you things, I—"

Lily cut William off. "I never said that, now. I just didn't want you to feel obligated. But, since you don't, let's go shopping!"

They both laughed. "Done! Then, for tonight, I figured we can order something in, cuddle up in bed, and watch a movie. Then of course, maybe we can have a little nonfood dessert." William began to kiss up her neck.

Lily closed her eyes and smiled. "What do you mean by nonfood dessert? What other kind is there?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," William said, his left hand slowly sliding up her stomach.

Lily shook her head. "No, I'm not sure that I do. What do you mean?"

William grinned. "I want to..." He murmured the rest in her ear, not holding back on explaining the not so innocent things.

When he finished, Lily licked her lips and moaned. "I just wanted to hear you say it!" she said.

"It's fun to say it, but it's even more fun to do it," he said with a grin, his hand moving downward now.

Lily blinked in surprise. "But, if we do it now, what will be left for tonight?"

William straddled her. "Don't worry about me. I have several tricks up my sleeve."

Lily grinned. "Well, then, by all means, let's practice for tonight! Shall we?"

William grinned too. "Yes, we shall."

Lily giggled as he pulled the covers over their heads. Her giggles turned to moans as he got to work.

~Begin Again~

Rufus sat alone in the loft. It seemed so quiet there. He was bored. He had forgotten what it was like to be alone. He had been in a relationship for as long as he could remember. It was hard to remember what he did when he had no one there to do something with. He had just gotten back from the gallery a half hour earlier. He had done everything that needed to be done, then closed it up until January second. He contemplated calling Dan, but now that Dan was married, he and Serena were always off doing something or another. Scott was of course back in Boston now. Jenny was back home, and had taken Eric with her to celebrate New Year's. As for friends, well, he never really had any close friends, which made him feel quite pathetic. For a split second, he wondered what Ivy was doing.

"Oh my gosh, Rufus, are you really that desperate?" he asked himself out loud. He shook his head. "I have to get out of here." He slipped on his shoes, and put his coat on. He'd go get dinner at the mall, then see a movie. Maybe even two movies to pass time. Then, he'd head home, take a shower, get ready for bed, then watch TV until he fell sleep. He's set the sleep timer on his television for an hour and a half. That way, he could watch a movie if he wanted to, and if he fell asleep before it was over, then oh well. The TV would turn off on its own.

It was a perfect plan. So, he headed out the door, eager to get this day over with. The sooner it was over with, the sooner the next four days could be over with, and therefore, the sooner he'd see Lisa. If ever there was a time where he wished he could speed up time, it was now. But, since that was humanly impossible, he'd have to settle for dinner, and two, possibly three movies. He'd think of something else for the next four days. Right now, he just needed to get through tonight.

~BA~

Dinner was good. I found a good movie that started in an hour, so I didn't waste my time eating in a restaurant. I just opted for the quicker option of a pizza place. I felt a little better after getting some food in my stomach. Or maybe it was the beer I had with it. Either way, I didn't feel like such a loser by the time I exited the pizza place. It also helped that I was really looking forward to seeing _Lincoln_. Lisa had said it looked too boring, and she really didn't want to see it, but she'd see it with me if I really wanted her too. I hadn't had the heart to make her sit through it. Now, I was by myself, so I didn't have to worry about boring anyone who didn't want to see it. Also, it was a long movie, so it would take up the time I wanted it to take up.

I headed to the movie, but stopped in my tracks when I saw Lily and William holding hands, and smiling at each other. They stopped outside of Victoria's Secret. Lily pointed to something in the window. William licked his lips, and murmured something in her ear. Lily smiled up at him and nodded, then, her hand still in his, they headed into the shop.

I don't know why I cared to know what she was looking at, but curiosity got the best of me. Besides, I had fifteen minutes to kill before the movie started anyway. And that wasn't including the previews, which, nowadays, there was sure to be many of. So, I headed to the window, and looked to see what was on display.

I swallowed hard when I saw the slinky red nightie with spaghetti straps. According to how it fit on the mannequin, it rested just above the breasts, and stopped slightly past the top of the thighs. It had black lace detail overtop of the breasts, and around the bottom of it.

I suddenly felt as if a rock had just fallen into the pit of my stomach. I didn't like the thought of William's sleazy hands all over Lily as she wore that. I may not be married to Lily anymore, but it didn't mean that I was okay with a slime ball like William having her. Lily wasn't exactly a saint, but she still deserved someone worlds better than William.

I winced as I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my palms. I looked down to see that I had my hands balled into fists, and my nails were pressing hard into my palms.

I un-balled my hands, then turned and headed back to the movie theater. William didn't deserve Lily. He _certainly_ didn't deserve to see Lily in something so sexy.

The thought of Lily in that slinky little nightgown made me moan out loud. It reminded me of the many nights she used to wear stuff like that for me.

I sighed. Lily was a very attractive woman, yes. I'd always find her attractive. Just because she and I weren't together anymore didn't mean she would magically turn ugly to me. She is still as beautiful as she always was. Time hadn't taken her beauty from her. Even so, I let the image of her in that slinky little nightgown slip from my mind. I was going to marry Lisa, and it was inappropriate to dwell on another woman in a nightgown—especially when I used to be married to said woman.

Besides, thinking of Lily in that nightgown made me think about how William was going to be taking said nightgown off her after lusting over her in it.

I headed into the theater, and shook all thoughts of William and Lily and the slinky little nightgown out of my head. I had to if I didn't want my palms to start bleeding.

~BA~

The movie was good. Rufus surprised himself by not thinking of William and Lily once throughout the whole movie. He guessed it was because the movie was even better than he had thought it would be.

However, once the movie was over, and he gotten in line to get some popcorn and a soda to have while watching_The Guilt Trip_, he saw a girl in front of him in line wearing a pair of lounge pants that read _Pink_ over the butt. Rufus knew from many advertisements that _Pink_ was one of Victoria's Secret's collections. Of course, this only reminded him of William, Lily, and the little red slinky nightie with the black lace trim.

He got up in line and absentmindedly ordered his popcorn and soda. He then paid the man, and headed into the theater. He found a spot in the back, and sat down. Then he realized that a couple a few seats down from him were making out like the world really was ending, only tomorrow instead of the twenty-first.

With a sigh, and a grumble to the couple to "get a room," he got up, and headed to the left side of the theater facing the screen. He sat in the third row from the front. No one was sitting there, so he knew he'd be left alone. He sat against the wall, and draped his coat over the two seats to his right in hopes of deterring anyone else from sitting in the row. After all, it was only a four-seat row.

He then dug into his popcorn, having a feeling that he wouldn't be as lucky for this movie when it came to not thinking about William, Lily, and the red slinky nightie with the black lace detail.

~Begin Again~

"Thank you so much for meeting me for breakfast, Charles!" Lily said, kissing her son's cheeks. "William only left two hours ago for The Hamptons, but I already miss him. It feels good having you join me and keep me company. I feel less lonely."

"Don't mention it. I'm glad to. I don't get to see you nearly as much as I'd like to as it is," Chuck said, kissing her cheek in return.

Lily smiled at Chuck, his hands in hers. "We'll have to change that. I know you're busy with Blair and Henry, but that doesn't mean we can't still get together more often. Right?"

Chuck nodded. "Right!"

The hostess sat them by the window seat, and told them their waiter would be by in a moment.

Chuck held out Lily's chair for her, then helped push her chair back in before taking a seat in front of her.

"You're so polite. Thank you," Lily said with a smile.

Chuck gave her a smile, and a slight nod in response.

"So! How is that adorable little grandchild of mine doing? And how is Blair?" Lily asked.

Chuck grinned. "He's doing great! They're at a mommy and me play date today. You know, I think Blair secretly likes the play dates even more than Henry does!"

Lily laughed. "I wish I had been there more for my children when they were growing up. I think it's wonderful that Blair takes Henry to those. I never seemed to have the time to take Eric or Serena to play dates. At least, not with me tagging along. And of course, I gave Scott up, so I never got to do any of the mother son things with him either. And with you, well, I didn't even know you until I met your father. So I can't be blamed for that one!"

Chuck smiled at her. They grinned et each other.

"But at least we're making up for old times now." Lily gently squeezed his hand from across the table.

Chuck smirked, and gently rubbed his thumb over Lily's. "Except I'm a little old now for a Mommy and me play date!"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What do you think _this_ is?"

Chuck laughed. "It's not a play date, Lily, come on!"

Lily laughed too. "I'm just teasing you. Well, for the record, I think lunch dates, dinner dates, and movie dates together are just as nice as play dates."

Chuck smiled at her. "For the record, I do to." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Lily kissed his hand with a loud "Muah!"

The waiter came then, and they released hands to quickly look over their menus to see what they wanted to drink.

"I hope Blair wasn't insulted that I didn't invite her or Henry. I just wanted to spend some mother son time with you," Lily said after they ordered their drinks, and as they looked over their menus to decide what to eat.

Chuck shook his head. "Not at all. She understands. Besides, like I said, she and Henry had the play date today anyway."

"So, what are you doing for New Year's Eve?" Lily then asked.

"Blair and I are getting together with Dan and Serena and going to Times Square to watch the ball drop," Chuck replied. "I know someone is security who is going to get us back stage. There are a couple bands playing that Blair and Serena are crazy for, so I guess we'll be hanging with then and Ryan Seacrest."

Lily smiled. "That will be nice. What about Henry?"

"He's staying the night with Dorota. Blair's parents will be spending the New Year in France. They leave tomorrow." Chuck smirked. "A second honeymoon at their age. Who would have thought?"

Lily gasped. "I'll have you know, I'm only a couple years younger than they are!"

"But you look twenty years younger than they are! You're the most beautiful mother in the world along with Blair." Chuck took Lily's hand in his, and kissed it.

"That just might be the nicest save I've ever heard!" Lily said, tears in her eyes. She stood up.

"What are you doing?" Chuck asked.

"Kissing my son," Lily said simply.

Chuck shook his head. "Lily, no! Not here."

"Yep! Here. You're never too old to be kissed by your mother." Lily pulled him close and kissed his cheeks, leaving mauve colored lip prints all over his cheeks.

"Thanks for that," Chuck said sarcastically as he wiped his cheeks off with his cloth napkin.

Lily grinned as she sat back down. "You're welcome!" She knew from the slight smile on Chuck's face that, despite his earlier protests, he secretly was tickled by it.

~Begin Again~

"I miss you," Lisa said over the phone to Rufus. It was New Year's Eve, and she just informed him about a big party she and her sister had been invited to by Celine Dion, who, as it turns out, happened to be a huge fan of hers. Lisa had just been explaining that she might not get to calling Rufus at midnight after all. "It's just, it might be loud at the party, and I don't know what will be going on at the party. It's at Caesar's Palace! It's going to be a blast, I'm sure."

Rufus smiled. "After all these years, Celine keeps coming back to Vegas to do shows. Every time a show ends, there's a year or so that she doesn't do a show in Vegas, then Bam! She's back for another three years or so, doing a new show."

Lisa giggled. "I know, right? I wish I was as successful as her."

"You still have your share of fans. Besides, I'm glad you don't have a show in Vegas. I like living in New York," Rufus teased.

"Me too," Lisa said happily.

Rufus continued. "As for not being able to call me, well, call me if you can. If not, then I understand. I'll see you in a couple days anyway. Though, I would love to talk to you tonight. There's no better way to ring in the new year than to hear your sweet voice."

"I feel the same way about you!" Lisa assured him. "You're gonna make me cry. Oh, wait. There's, a hot, young, male stripper. Now I'm just smiling."

Rufus laughed. "Very funny!"

"I have to go. Debbie wants to go eat lunch, and she is being a pain about it. But I'll try to call you. I know you hit midnight three hours before I will, but Celine is going to be performing around that time, so I don't know." Lisa sighed.

"Like I said, don't worry about it. I love you, and we'll see each other soon," Rufus assured her.

"I love you too." Lisa's voice was then slightly distant, but louder as she obviously turned her face away from the phone to snap at her sister. "Debbie, chill out! We'll go to get your precious lunch in a moment! Can I please have two minutes to say goodbye to my fiancé first? Sheesh!"

"You're going to see him in two days. Give me break! Let's go! I'm going to pass out if I don't eat soon," Rufus heard Debbie yelling in the background.

"She's acting like she's a twenty something instead of in her forties," Lisa muttered, now back on the phone.

"I heard that!" Debbie called in the background.

"Well, you are!" Lisa called to her. She turned her attention back to him. "As you can hear, I have to go. I love you. Happy New Year if I don't get to call you later."

"Happy New Year. I love you too. Have a good night," Rufus said.

"You too. What are you going to do tonight?" Lisa asked.

Rufus sighed. "Just hang out at home and miss you, I guess. Scott's in Boston, Jenny's back in Hudson, and Dan and Serena are in Times Square partying with Ryan Seacrest tonight."

"Aw, poor baby. I feel bad now," Lisa said.

"Don't. You just have a good night," Rufus ordered her.

"If there's hot, young male strippers, I'm sure I will!" Lisa joked.

"Stop that!" Rufus said with a laugh.

"Lisa!" Debbie called in the background.

"Ugh! I'm gonna kill her before this trip is over, I swear. Goodbye for now, Baby," Lisa said.

Rufus laughed. "Goodbye, my Love."

They then hung up, and Rufus stopped smiling.

He sighed. Now he might not even get a call from Lisa at midnight. He understood of course. It just sucked for him was all.

What sucked worse was knowing that he was probably the only loser alone on New Year's Eve. Him being in New York City made it all the more pathetic. He bet people in Rhode Island were having more fun than he was, and there was hardly anything fun to do in Rhode Island. He knew. He had toured there once.

With another sigh, he slipped on his coat and shoes, grabbed his keys, and headed out. He'd buy himself a big bottle of Champaign, and some New Year's Eve snacks. If he couldn't have good company, at least he could have something good to fill his stomach. He'd watch a movie until it was time to watch the ball drop. Then, he'd turn on the TV, watch the ball drop, and see if he saw Dan and Serena on TV. Then, he'd go to bed. "_Man_ I'm old and pathetic!" he grumbled as he headed down the elevator.

~Begin Again~

Lily wasn't pleased. She understood why her husband couldn't be there with her, but she really hated the fact that she'd be spending New Year's Eve and ringing in the New Year alone. Lily van der Woodsen was never alone! Well, she was now. She supposed there really was a first time for everything.

Everyone she knew had plans. Eleanor and Cyrus were in Paris. Dorota and Vanya were relaxing at home with Henry and their children. Chuck, Blair, Serena, and Dan were in Times Square partying with Ryan Seacrest. William was of course helping his patient in The Hamptons. Scott was in Boston. Eric and Jenny were in Hudson. The only ones left were Nate, Rufus, and Lisa.

So, she called up Nate. She knew it might be a little weird to hang out with your children's friend, or in Nate's case, friends' mother, on New Year's Eve, but it _had_ to be better than being alone.

Nate picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Nathaniel! It's Lily. How are you doing?" Lily asked cheerily.

"I'm doing all right." Nate sounded surprised to hear from her. Lily didn't blame him. "How are you?"

"I'm doing all right. I have a proposition for you. How would you like to come to my place and ring in the New Year with me tonight?" Lily asked.

Nate paused for a minute. "Um..."

Nate sounded confused, so Lily explained about William having to go to The Hamptons to help out an old, sick patient of his. She also explained how her children all had plans already, and that she didn't want to be alone.

"Lily, I'm sorry. I would love to be able to join you, but I just can't. I'm in Milan right now doing a piece for the _Spectator_. I wish I could. Do you have any other friends that could possibly be able to join you?" Nate asked.

Lily sighed. "None that I can think of."

"How about Rufus and Lisa?" Nate suggested. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind celebrating with you."

"Maybe," Lily said, even though the very last people she wanted to spend New Year's Eve with was Rufus and his precious fiancé. Seeing them kiss at midnight would make her positively nauseous.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go," Nate said. "Call Rufus up. I'm sure he'll be more than happy to have you over or to come over to your place. Goodbye, Lily. Have a Happy New Year!"

"Thanks, Nate. Happy New Year to you too." With a sigh, Lily hung up the phone. For a brief moment, she contemplated taking the train to Hudson. But, she was sure Jenny and Eric probably wouldn't want her tagging along. Especially if they were having a party. Besides, Jenny still lived with her mother Alison, who was helping Jenny out with her fashion line. Alison and Lily had never been friends. Not even close.

She could go to Boston to see Scott. _He_ had his own place. Still, by the time she got there, New Year's Eve would be just about over.

Lily sat on the couch. She really didn't want to spend New Year's Eve watching Rufus and Lisa acting so mushy and in love. However, she wanted even less to spend New Year's Eve alone. So, with a sigh, she stood up and sucked it up as she headed over to the phone, and dialed Rufus' number.

~Begin Again~

Rufus had just picked up the Champaign when his phone rang. He wondered if it was Lisa calling him back.

He took his phone out of his pocket, and was surprised to see that it was Lily calling him.

He clicked answer right away, mainly because he was curious as to what she wanted. "Hello, Lily. What's up?"

"Hello, Rufus," said Lily on the other line. "I know it's late notice, but I was calling to see if you and Lisa would like to cove over tonight to ring in the new year together. William got called away to the Hamptons for a house call. An elderly patient of his hasn't been doing well at all, and insisted that he be the doctor to look after her. She's been a patient of his for years, and is in very bad shape, so he felt he couldn't say no. He had to leave right away. And of course the kids are all off doing their own thing. Eleanor and Cyrus are in Paris. I know you and Lisa probably have plans already. I just thought I'd invite you just in case you didn't have plans. New Year's Eve isn't exactly a fun time to be alone if you know what I mean."

Rufus paused as he took all of this in. He was alone on New Year's Eve, and so was Lily. What were the chances?

"You already have plans, don't you? And you don't want to be rude by saying no to me, but you and Lisa would rather be alone on your first New Year's Eve as an engaged couple. I totally understand. I'm sorry. I should have thought about that before I called you," Lily said upon hearing Rufus' pause.

Rufus quickly spoke up. "No! That's not it. It's just that Lisa went away on a last minute trip to Las Vegas with her sister. Apparently, her sister's friend got sick and couldn't go on the trip, so Lisa went in her place so that the concert tickets wouldn't go to waste. Also, her sister had been wanting to do a sister trip for a while now."

"So, you're alone tonight too?" Lily asked.

Rufus sighed. "Sadly, yes."

"Well, then it's settled!" Lily said, sounding relieved. "I don't want to be alone, and I'm sure _you_ don't want to be alone. Why don't you come on over? We can order a pizza and wings in, and ring in the New Year together. I don't have any Champaign, but I can go out and get some."

Rufus put the bottle of Champaign down, and picked out a better brand. After all, Lily was used to the best. "Actually, I'm currently getting some Champaign now. I have the bottle in my hand. I was going to drink it by myself, but now I have you to drink with. I'm headed out to get snacks after this. Anything in particular you'd like?"

"Whatever you would like to bring is fine. I'm not picky. I'm just glad I'm going to have someone to spend New Year's Eve with!" Lily said cheerily.

"I am too, believe me. What time do you want me over?" Rufus asked.

"As soon as you can get here. I'm not doing anything else," Lily said.

Rufus looked at his watch. "How about you give me two hours? That way I'll have some time to get the snacks, freshen up back home, and get to your place. I'll still be there by eight."

"Sounds perfect!" Lily agreed. "I'll have the pizza ordered by seven, so it should be here by the time you get here, or close to it at least."

"All right. I'll see you at eight then," Rufus told her.

"I'll be looking forward to it," Lily said.

Rufus smiled. "So will I. Goodbye, Lily."

"Goodbye, Rufus." Lily's tone was soft, but friendly.

Rufus hung up his phone, and stuffed it back into his pocket with a smile. He then went to pay for the Champaign.

~BA~

I couldn't believe Lily had invited me to spend New Year's Eve with her. Well, _that_ had come out of nowhere! Even though William wasn't going to be there, inviting Lisa and me seemed pretty desperate even for Lily. But I was desperate too, so it worked out fine. I didn't want to be alone on New Year's Eve. It was far too depressing. Besides, Lily and I were still close. Granted, we didn't always agree on things, and of course we never got along a hundred percent, but we both still cared about the other. We would always be close, and we would always be a part of each other's lives. So, why not spend New Year's Eve together? There was absolutely nothing wrong with two good friends hanging out together on New Year's Eve. True, it could be a little weird since we used to be married to each other, but it would only be weird if we made it weird. And, frankly, I didn't see any reason why it had to be made weird. Lily and I are two adults who care deeply about each other, and whose kids are married to each other. The fact that we used to be married actually has nothing to do with it! I was going to go, and have a damn good time.

~BA~

Rufus didn't really know what to get for snacks, so he googled good snacks to get for New Year's Eve, and decided upon a loaf of rye bread with rye bread dip, mini cocktail wieners, and sweet and sour sauce to cook them in. He also got some Pepsi just in case they wanted it.

He then went home, took a quick shower and changed, then stuffed all the snacks in to a bigger bag with the Champaign and Pepsi, and headed off to Lily's.

He took a cab, but it still took a while, what with all the New Year's Eve traffic and the swarms of people hoping to get on TV and see Ryan Seacrest, or one of the many bands playing that night.

He ended up not getting to Lily's until eight thirty, despite having left a little early. He paid and tipped the driver, thanked him and wished him a Happy New Year, then headed up to Lily's apartment. He secretly loved that none of the doormen ever questioned him. He was always allowed to go right up. They all knew who he was by now.

When he got to Lily's, he knocked on the door.

When Lily opened the door, she literally took his breath away. She was wearing a sparkly silver low-cut dress. It went barely past her thighs. She had red lipstick on with her nails to match her lips. Her hair was down, and flowing over her shoulders. On her legs were shimmery nude stockings, and on her feet were strappy red pumps.

"Wow. You look beautiful," he said.

"Do I?" Lily looked down at her dress. "Thanks. I was worried it was too much. It's so sparkly, and I don't usually wear something so low-cut or short. I just wanted something New Year's Eve looking, and this is what I could find. I think it might even be Serena's left here from years ago when she moved out. Don't ask why I still have it, but I did, so..." Lily looked back up at him, blushing now.

"Well, you look amazing. I should have worn something more dressy and festive," Rufus told her.

Lily stepped back, motioning him in. "You look good! Men aren't expected to dress up for New Year's Eve like women are anyway. Besides, you know I always loved that shirt on you."

Rufus nodded. Of course he knew. That is why he chose to wear it. He had no idea why it mattered to him to look good for Lily. Though apparently, she felt the same way about looking good for him. He was wearing his white, grey, and purple plaid shirt over dark wash blue jeans. On his feet, we wore navy blue socks tucked into brown boots.

"You can set the food down on the island. What did you get?" Lily asked.

"I got mini cocktail wienies with sweet and sour sauce. I figured I could cook them up for us. I also got us a loaf or rye bread and some rye bread dip. Then of course there's the Champaign. I got us some sodas too in case you don't want to drink alcohol all night," Rufus said as he unloaded the things onto the island.

"Who doesn't want to drink alcohol all night?" Lily asked, coming up behind him, and helping him get his coat off.

He smirked. "Good point!" He turned to her. "Do you have a pan? I want to get these cooked up."

"It's the same place it's always been," Lily told him.

Rufus smiled at her. "Even after five years?"

Lily nodded. "I guess some things never change," she said with a smile.

"I guess not," Rufus agreed, smiling in return.

~Begin Again~

Lily was glad that Rufus had liked her dress. Though, she didn't know why. She wasn't his wife anymore. She no longer needed to look good for him. Even so, she was Lily van der Woodsen. Looking good was jer job. Besides, it was New Year's Eve. What was New Year's Eve without dressing up?

"Those smell divine!" Lily said as she looked over Rufus' shoulder while he cooked up the cocktail weenies in the sweet and sour sauce.

"I hope they're good. I just looked up good snacks for New Year's Eve on google, and these came up," Rufus admitted.

"Well, if they taste as good as they smell and look, I'm sure they'll be delicious!" Lily then went to work at cutting up the rye bread into cubes.

Rufus nodded at the perfect cubes. "Well, at least there's _something_ you can do well when it comes to food besides eating it!"

Lily gasped. "Thanks a lot! I'm not _that_ bad of a cook."

Rufus shot her an amused look. "The meatloaf incident of 2009. Need I say more?"

"You didn't need to call the firemen! I had it under control!" Lily said with a pout.

Rufus smirked. "Word of advice, Lil. Never put out an electrical fire with water."

"Well, I know that now. Besides, that had nothing to do with the food," Lily insisted.

"The food burning is the whole reason the fire started to begin with!" Rufus reminded her.

"But the meatloaf still tasted all right after we scraped the burnt parts off," Lily stated.

"The macaroni and cheese incident later that year," Rufus stated in return.

Lily sighed. "Fine! So I'm not the best cook. But we can't all be chefs."

"You were good in other things that made up for your lack of cooking skills," Rufus told her.

Lily smiled at him. "Like what?" she said seductively. She batted her eyelashes. She had meant it to be a joke, but it came out like it wasn't.

Lily saw the blush on Rufus' cheeks, and it caused her to blush as well. Thankfully, there was a knock on the door just then, followed by the pizza guy announcing his arrival.

"Saved by the pizza man!" she said under her breath as she quickly ran to get the pizza.

"Saved by the pizza man," she heard Rufus mumble in agreement.

She blushed even more, and opened the door.

~Begin Again~

Things had started off a little bit awkward, what with Lily's being good in the bedroom joke, but once the pizza arrived, things got a little less awkward. They sat on the couch, and using the coffee table as a table to hold their food, they had their pizza, wings, sweet and sour covered cocktail weenies, and rye bread and dip. Despite their both joking about not wanting to drink anything other than alcohol, they had the Pepsis with their meal. It just seemed to go better with what they were eating than Champaign did. They turned on the New Year's Eve in Times Square celebration while they ate.

"I'd hate to be out there with Dan, Serena, Chuck, and Blair. It's so crowded out there!" Lily said as the camera panned over the crowd.

"Not to mention cold. You probably can't even see much with all the people around standing in front of you. I don't even know why some people bother. Some are standing so far away from the stage and ball that I don't know how they even see a thing," Rufus agreed.

Lily nodded. "At least the Serena and the gang get backstage, but still. And I know what you mean about everyone else. I guess some just go to hear the music even if they can't see the bands well."

Rufus shook his head. "Even so, I'll take my nice warm couch at home, or in this case, your nice warm couch here, and hear and see far better than most those people waiting out in the cold can."

"Same here," Lily said. She finished off her Pepsi, and set the empty bottle down on the coffee table. She then looked at Rufus. "When did we become so old that waiting outside for the ball to drop in Times Square became silly instead of cool?"

Rufus sighed. "I don't know, Lil. It just crept up on us one day, and took over us without us even seeing it coming."

"I think it's time we crack into the Champaign," Lilly muttered.

Rufus nodded. "That's the best idea you've had so far."

Lily grinned, and got up to get the Champaign.

~Begin Again~

Lily was so glad the awkwardness was over. The Champaign was certainly keeping it that way.

"Speaking of getting old, remember when we used to find this kind of music cool?" Lily asked as PSY came on the screen and began to sing and dance to "Gangnam Style." She handed Rufus his glass of Champaign.

Rufus took the glass from her. "Thank you." Her smirked, then took a sip of his Champaign. "Now music like this just seems stupid."

"Extremely stupid," Lily agreed, drinking more of her Champaign.

They continued to drink their Champaign as they watched more of PSY's performance.

"Actually, it does look kind of fun," Rufus said, setting down his glass, and standing up. He stepped away from the coffee table, then began to dance—gangnam style.

Lily burst out laughing. "Rufus, I think the Champaign is getting to you already. Are you sure you didn't have any before you left?"

Rufus smirked. "I didn't! I'm just trying to have fun, and not be old. Come on! Join me! It's not as hard as it looks!"

"I will not!" Lily said, holding her head up high. "I'll look like a fool."

Rufus raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm the only one here who can see you, and I'm already doing it. So, we'll both be fools. What's the matter? Are you too old to dance?"

Lily set down her glass, and walked over to him. "I'm going to out gangnam you. Whatever that means."

"Let's see it then, Pretty Woman!" Rufus said.

And so they both began to dance gangnam style, furiously trying to out-dance the other.

When MC Hammer came onto sing with PSY, Rufus got all excited.

"It's Hammer Time!" he joked.

Lily laughed, and they both started doing a mix of the gangnam style dance and the Hammer time dance, which in reality, wasn't all that different.

They were both laughing and having a good time until Rufus lost his footing...and went crashing into the coffee table...backwards.

Lily jumped at the loud crash. She looked at Rufus lying on his back in the remainder of their pizza. She covered her mouth. "Are you all right?" she asked from behind her hand.

"Ouch," Rufus responded with a groan.

Then, Lily couldn't hold it in any longer. She burst into loud, maniacal laughter.

~Begin Again~

"So I guess I out gangnamed you, huh?" Lily asked, a smirk on her face.

"_Cute_, Lil," Rufus said sarcastically.

"Well, I did, didn't I?" Lily asked.

"I would have won had I not tripped," Rufus said.

"Poor Baby. You know, you're not the only one who suffered here. I could have gone for some more pizza, but you squashed the rest of it," Lily said. "But I must say, these cocktail weenies are to die for." She took a bite of her tenth weenie. She knew she should stop eating them. Especially after having already eaten two slices of pepperoni pizza, and five wings with blue cheese. Not to mention a good share of the rye bread with dip. But the weenies were positively addicting.

"Please excuse me for being so rude and ruining your pizza while I selfishly fell backwards onto the pizza just because I wanted to have a hurt back," Rufus said sarcastically. "It feels so good having your back slammed onto the coffee table, you know?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know what the big deal was. The pizza was there to cushion your fall."

Rufus rolled his eyes. "It still hurt!"

Lily lay down her cards. "Gin!"

Rufus groaned. "Make might night even worse, why don't you?" He tossed his cards down. After he had fallen on the coffee table, and after Lily had finally been able to stop laughing, Lily had helped him up. Then she had take off his shirt since she didn't want pizza sauce getting on her couch. She had then thrown his shirt in the wash. Now, they had been playing cards for the past hour, and they were currently waiting for his shirt to get out of the dryer. Meanwhile, Rufus hadn't won a single one of their three games.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Come on. Turn around. I'll rub your back for you."

"Thank you! Finally, some sympathy," Rufus said, turning his back toward her on the couch.

"No, I'm just tired of hearing you whining," Lily said simply.

Rufus rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks, Lil." He then closed his eyes and moaned as he felt her hands already working magic on him. "You always were good at this when we were married."

"And before we were married," Lily said with a smile.

"Only back then it was just to relax me, not to help my sore muscles heal. I guess getting older also makes me more klutzy," Rufus joked.

Lily laughed. "I guess so. I'm sorry I laughed. I hope you didn't seriously injure yourself."

Rufus laughed. "Na, it's okay. If I hadn't been the one to fall, I'd have laughed too. I'm hurt, but I think my ego was hurt more than my back. I'll be fine." He looked over his shoulder at Lily. "Your hands are so good as massaging me, my back's already starting to feel better."

Lily licked her lips. "Good," she said quietly. "I'm glad."

They stared at each other for a moment, their faces close together.

They were brought back to reality when they heard the countdown begin.

Lily stood up quick. "I need to get us some more Champaign!"

"Hurry!" Rufus said.

Lily quickly filled their glasses, then handed him his glass back. She held hers, and together, they counted down the new year.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one! Happy New Year!" They said in unison.

They grinned at each other, and clinked glasses. They then drank down their Champaign in one big gulp.

They set their empty glasses on the coffee table.

"Happy New Year, Rufus," Lily said, her hands on his bare shoulders.

Rufus looked at her hands, then at her face. He suddenly noticed how her lipstick had stayed on, despite all her eating and drinking. "Happy New Year, Lil." Her lips were as delicious looking as ever, he noted. They were so luscious and red, and...

He didn't know who initiated it. Maybe they both did. He didn't know what possessed either of them. Though, for him, he guessed it was those luscious red lips of hers. So deliciously perfect. Perfect for his lips as he always used to tell her when they were married. No matter how it happened, or who initiated it, there is was. They were kissing before either of them knew what hit them. It started off innocently enough, but it stopped being innocent moments later when their tongues started to get involved. And then, Rufus' mind was fuzzy. Maybe it was the Champaign. Either way, it was happening, and it was happening now.

_What a way to start off the New Year, kissing your ex wife_, he thought. It was wrong, he knew. She had a husband, and he had a fiancé. It was very wrong. And yet, he had no desire to stop. And, from the way she was kissing him, neither did Lily.

**Author's Note: Thank you to the person who told me of my mistakes last chapter. I fixed them. I like making things accurate, so I always appreciate the feedback. I don't catch everything sometimes, being my own editor. Also, I hadn't understood that part in the end of the episode with Lola and Olivia, so thanks for explaining it to me. :) I thought Ivy had written a movie about Lola and Olivia being con-artists. It makes better sense now. :D Also, to everyone reading, sorry this is late. I won't make a habit of it being late. My computer was acting up and wouldn't let me save it in the right format, then I had to go out before I could fix it. It will be earlier Monday next week!**


	4. When Rufus Kissed Lily

**Begin Again**

**Episode 4: When Rufus Kissed Lily**

Rufus paced the floor to the loft apartment. He was supposed to pick Lisa up at the airport six in the evening that night. Apparently, she had missed him so much, she was coming back a day early. Her sister told her to go home, for she wasn't any fun, being so mopey over him anyway. Besides, ironically enough, her sister found a new guy there she was into, who happened to be a male stripper. Though, she had met him gambling—not at one of his shows. Debbie was thinking about staying a couple extra days to get to know him better.

Rufus didn't know how he was going to face Lisa after what he had done. It could have been worse. It could have been much worse. Still, what he did was bad enough, and he knew he had to tell Lisa about it. He couldn't marry her with it on his conscious. Then again, did he really have to tell her? After all, nothing was going to come from the kiss. Lily was happily married, and he knew that he and Lisa would soon be happily married as well. As the old saying went, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Telling her could hurt her. So, why tell her?

He continued to pace the floor as his conscience fought to be heard.

~BA~

I don't know why what happened last night happened, but it did. I guess Lily and I had just gotten caught up in the moment. We have all those years of history together that we'll never lose. They're always going to mean something to us. We were both alone, and we were both lonely... We were ringing in the new year together... I guess it was inevitable, really. Not that it meant anything, because it didn't! Anyway, I'm glad it got interrupted when it did.

We were still kissing when my phone began to ring.

I quickly pulled apart from Lily to answer my phone. It was Lisa who was calling.

I quickly jumped off the couch as if Lisa could see through the phone how close Lily and I were sitting. "Lisa! Happy New Year, my Love!" I walked into the foyer, away from the loud TV, and more importantly, away from Lily.

"Happy New Year, Sweetie! I'm sorry you have to spend it all alone," Lisa said.

"Actually, as it turned out, William had to be in the Hamptons to take care of an elderly patient of his who only wanted him to take care of her. She is really sick, and he had to make a house call. He couldn't wait any longer to see her, for her son didn't know if she'd last past the New Year. Anyway, that left Lily all alone, so she called to see if you and I wanted to spend New Year's Eve with her. I told her about your trip to Vegas with your sister, and she invited me over anyway so that neither of us had to ring in the new year alone." I was feeling so guilty, I said it so fast, and almost in one breath. I'm surprised Lisa even understood me.

"Aw, that was nice of her! I'm glad you two didn't have to ring in the new year alone," Lisa said sweetly.

This only made me feel even more guilty. Lisa was so goodhearted and trusting. Sometimes too much, like then. I couldn't bear to tell her that I kissed Lily. At least not then.

We talked a little bit more, and then said our goodbyes, and exchanged I love yous. It was the last we would talk to each other that day until it was a decent hour for both of us.

I sighed as I hung up the phone.

Lily then came over and handed me my shirt. "Fresh from the drier!" she said with a weak smile.

"Thanks." I quickly put my shirt back on, buttoning it back up as quickly as I could. I know it sounds silly, but I had suddenly felt naked in front of her without my shirt.

"So, is Lisa having a good time?" Lily asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, she is. She's really enjoying her time with her sister. I know she doesn't get to spend as much time with her as she would like, so it's good for her. Good for them both."

"That's good. The show's ending now. I wonder if we'll see Serena and the others!" Lily quickly headed back into the living room as if the New Year's Eve show was suddenly the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen before.

I followed her in, only because I'd feel kind of stupid hanging out in the foyer by myself. Also, I knew we needed to talk about the kiss.

"I guess we're not going to see them," Lily said with a pout.

"I think the cameramen are more intrigued by the crowd outside, and the entertainers," I said, only half watching.

"I guess _so_," Lily said, turning the TV off, for Ryan Seacrest had just signed off.

"Look, Lil," I said just as Lily said, "Rufus, I—"

We both laughed.

"You got first," she said.

"I'm sorry about the kiss. I know you're a happily married woman, just as I'm happily with Lisa, and will soon be happily married to her. I was just feeling lonely, and you were there, and it's New Year's Day now. I guess I was just caught up in the moment. Not to sound clichéd or anything. And I know it sounds terrible, but I was imagining I was kissing Lisa." Okay, so the last part wasn't true, but I really needed to get my point across to her that the kiss had meant absolutely nothing.

Lily nodded. "I completely understand because those are all the same reasons that I kissed you! Well, because of William and not Lisa of course. And I was imagining kissing William when I was kissing you, so it doesn't sound terrible to me. It's only natural to want to kiss our partners. In fact, they are the only ones we should be kissing, so..." She trailed off.

I was a little insulted that she was thinking of William when kissing me. Mainly because William was a sleaze ball that I did not want to be compared to. But, as long as it was clear that the kiss was nothing more than a simple Happy New Years kiss between friends, we were good.

"It was simply just a Happy Near Year's kiss between two good friends who miss their other halves," I said.

Lily nodded. "Exactly! And that must be the reason we kissed each other so passionately. You were thinking of Lisa, and I was thinking of William."

"Yes!" I agreed, though I secretly wondered why I had kissed Lily so passionately. I guess, for just a moment, I was taken back to old times. But that was it! It had been a moment, and now it was over, which was exactly what it should be—over.

"I'm glad we both agree on that," Lily said. She then quietly yawned and stretched. "Well, it's late, and I'm tired. Not to kick you out, but..." Again, she trailed off.

I shook my head. "You don't have to tell me twice!" I yawned and stretched as well. "I'm exhausted." I was going to kiss her cheek out of habit, then pulled back at the last second. We had already kissed more than we should have. I didn't want to make it awkward by kissing her again, even if it _was_ only on the cheek.

She blushed as she realized I had changed my mind about kissing her cheek. However, she quickly brushed it off by walking to the elevator, and pressing the button for me.

The doors opened, and I walked into the elevator.

"Goodnight, Rufus," she said. "And, again. Happy New Year!"

"Goodnight, Lily. Happy New Year," I said right before the doors closed, shutting us both out of each other's vision.

I sighed, and rested my back against the back wall of the elevator. Now I _really_ needed a drink. The only problem was, I had left the Champaign at Lily's. And there was no way in hell I was going back to get it.

~BA~

Rufus had tossed and turned all night, and now he was tired. He was so tired actually, that he wished that Lisa wasn't coming back today. He really could use a long nap. Not to mention an extra day to work up the courage to tell her the truth. He guessed deep down he had to tell her. He had been though lies with Lily in their marriage, and he didn't want his and Lisa's relationship to be full of lies before they even got married. He had to tell her. Now, the only thing he didn't know was how on earth he was going to tell her.

He glanced at the clock. It was a quarter to one, meaning he had about five hours to figure it out!

~Begin Again~

"I missed you so much, my Darling!" Lily said, hugging her husband tightly. He had just arrived home. "Happy New Year!"

William held her tightly, and kissed her deeply. "Mm, I missed you too, my Love. Happy New Year! How was your New Year's Eve? Sorry I didn't call you at midnight. To tell you the truth, I didn't even stay up to see the ball drop. I was exhausted from helping my patient all day long."

"Oh, I understand. Don't even worry about it. How is your she? Please tell me she is all right." Lily bit her bottom lip. She had no idea who the patient was. Come to think of it, she hadn't even asked the poor lady's name.

William smiled. "Ethel is going to be fine. It turns out she just has a major case of pneumonia. I took care of her over the weekend, but convinced her that she really needs to be in a hospital. She finally agreed. She is not well enough to travel even a couple hours, so she is at a hospital right there in The Hamptons. I promised I'd come check on her a lot. I also made sure she got a doctor friend of mine from that hospital. She felt better knowing he was a good friend of mine."

"Well, good! I'm so glad to hear she is all right," Lily said. She bit her bottom lip. She felt even worse having kissed Rufus now. While William had been helping save a sick patient, she was making out with her ex-husband. Well, maybe not _making out_ per se, but even so, the kiss wasn't exactly an innocent New Year's Eve kiss. True, it hadn't really meant anything. Like she had told Rufus, she was just lonely, and it was New Year's Eve. Even so, whether it meant something or not, she knew the right thing to do was tell William. Which was kind of ironic since she never really worried about doing the right thing. However, so many of her marriages had failed because of lies, wether it be her lies or her ex-husbands' lies. Also, this was hers and William's second chance at being happily married. She didn't want to be the one to wreck it by holding in a secret. After all, secrets had a way of coming out. She had learned that the hard way.

~BA~

I don't know what had gotten into me. I mean, kissing my ex husband while my current husband was away helping a poor, sick, elderly old patient of his? It was despicable. Absolutely despicable! I was just so lonely, and it's tradition to kiss someone at the stroke of midnight. Rufus was there. He was shirtless, and looking so incredibly sexy. I know. What is wrong with me? I guess the old feelings came back a little. Not enough to make me want to go back to him. He's in love with Lisa anyway—so much that he's going to marry her. And I'm very much in love with William. Obviously. I'm happily married to him.

It's just that, a part of me will always love Rufus. After all, he and I were a big part of each other's lives for over twenty years, like I've said so many times before. I'll never stop loving him.

You know the thing that hurt the most? It hurt when he said he had imagined kissing Lisa when kissing me. It made me feel used. I know I told him that I had imagined kissing William. But, honestly, what was I supposed to say? I wasn't about to humiliate myself by confessing to him that he was the only man on my mind when I was kissing him—not William, my _husband_. Especially not after he told me he was thinking of Lisa, his fiancé when kissing _me_.

You know what? I think the kiss was a good thing. It made me realize how really over Rufus and I truly are. Of course, I already knew that Rufus and I were over. After all, he and I have long since been over since before William and I even started dating again. But this kiss confirmed a hundred percent that Rufus and I are over. I mean, we kissed, and he went straight back to Lisa. As for me, well, I have no desire to go back to Rufus. I love William. He is my husband, and there is no other man that has been more right for me than he is, or whom I loved more than him. Yes, William is the only man for me, and that's the way it's always going to be.

~BA~

"So, you never answered my question. How was your New Year? I hope it wasn't too lonely without me." William's arms were still around Lily's waist.

Lily looked down at his arms, and gently pulled away. His arms around her made her feel even more guilty than she already did. "William, there's something I have to tell you."

William looked at her funny. "All right. Your tone doesn't sound too promising. Should I sit down for this?"

Lily nodded. "You might want to."

"All right." William moved to sit down on the couch.

Lily sat down in the recliner beside the couch. "I wasn't alone last night."

William raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh? From the sounds of it, you don't mean you were with one of your children."

Lily shook her head. "I'm afraid not. All the kids were busy. I didn't want to be alone, and I was so desperate to have someone to spend the evening with. I even invited Nate to come over!"

William grinned. "That _is_ pretty desperate!"

Lily smiled too, knowing full well the smile would soon be wiped clean off William's face. "He was in Milan doing a piece for _The Spectator_, and Eleanor and Cyrus were in Paris. So, I invited Rufus and Lisa to come over. I then found out that Lisa was in Vegas with her sister for The New Year, and that Rufus was spending the evening alone too."

"So, you invited Rufus over, figuring there was no use in both of you being alone when you could be together," William stated.

Lily nodded. "Exactly!"

William shrugged. "Well, that's not so bad. You and Rufus are still close friends. It would only make sense for you to spend the evening together when you would both otherwise be alone. I completely understand. No worries!"

Lily sighed. "If only that was it."

William raised an eyebrow her at again. "You mean there's more?"

Lily nodded. "I'm afraid so. We kissed at the stroke of midnight. And it wasn't just a simple peck on the lips. We kissed more passionately than we should have for a simple New Year's kiss."

William shifted in his seat, and his expression hardened a bit. "Excuse me? What do you mean, 'more passionately than you should have?'"

Lily looked away. "Well, we were both feeling lonely and missing our significant other's... I honestly don't even know how the kiss happened. It just did. I was missing you, and he was missing Lisa, and we just ended up kissing.

"Lily, please tell me it didn't lead to more," William said calmly, though his calmness sounded strained.

Lily shook her head. "No! Of course not! Lisa called him during our kiss, and that was the end of it."

"So, you would have kept kissing him, and it could have led to more had Lisa not called," William stated.

Lily looked at him. "No! Of course not!"

"Then why did it take her call to break you apart?" William asked, sounding angry now.

Lily shrugged. "I honestly don't know. But it didn't mean anything. I promise you, William!"

"Lily, you kissed your ex husband! You two had been in love with each other for twenty plus _years_. You can't tell me that it meant nothing to you!" William said, standing up now, and facing her.

Lily stood up as well. "I'm telling you, William. It meant absolutely nothing! I assure you that. You are the only man that I love. I just missed you!"

"So, every time I have to go away for a bit, you can just call Rufus to help you not be so lonely. Is that it?" William asked.

"No! William, stop twisting my words," Lily said, half annoyed, half in tears.

William headed to the elevator.

"Where are you going?" Lily asked, tears filling her eyes even more now.

"Out. I need some time alone to think," William muttered.

"William, we need to talk this out!" Lily said.

The doors opened, and William stepped onto the elevator. "Later. Right now, I can't be here. Heck, I can't even _look_ at you!"

"William! Please don't say things like that. Please stay. I said I'm sorry! It's never going to happen again!" Lily pleaded.

William's face remained expressionless as the doors closed between them.

Lily cried out, and pounded the closed elevator doors with her fists. "It meant nothing!" she screamed, even though she knew there was no way he could hear her now. "And I would have stopped the kiss if Lisa hadn't called. I would have!"

She cried out in frustration. "I would have," she repeated, this time with a little less energy.

With a sniffle, she turned around, and headed upstairs. All she wanted to do now was crawl into bed, bury herself underneath the covers, and have a good cry. She honestly didn't have the strength or energy for anything else right then.

~Begin Again~

William left the loft, and headed straight to his favorite singles bar. It was a bit of a drive—an hour away—but he preferred that. This way, he wasn't likely to be seen, and no nosy ass hole would go telling Lily anything. He stopped outside the door, and took off his wedding band, slipping it into his pocket.

He then walked into the bar; confidant. Now that he had broken up with Samantha, he needed someone else to fulfill his sexual needs in a way that Lily couldn't.

Anyway, after what Lily had just confessed to him, there was no _way_ he'd be sleeping with her tonight. He still loved her of course. And of course this wasn't going to harm their marriage. He'd make her sweat for the night as punishment for what she had done, then, tomorrow, he would show up and play nice. But for now, he couldn't even look at Lily. He was far too annoyed.

~BA~

I am _so_ livid that Lily kissed Rufus! I believe her when she says that nothing else happened between them, but it still burns me up. Sure I've been cheating on her, but never with an ex. Besides, I am a _man_. Men cheated. It's just in our DNA. But women, well, women are supposed to be faithful to their husbands.

Even so, I wouldn't have even minded as much had it been anyone else but Rufus Humphrey. But it was. There isn't a man on earth whom I detest more than Rufus Humphrey. I don 't care what Lily says. No matter how much she tries to deny it, she still has feelings for Rufus, and she probably always will. I know that. But Lily is mine now—not Rufus', and it's time both Lily and Rufus learn that.

At least I finally got rid of Samantha.

I had stayed until after lunch this morning, for we had slept in late, then made love. Making love always made me hungry, so I figured I might as well stay for lunch. We ordered room service, then made love again until the food arrived.

We ate in bed, and when we were finished, she asked me when we could see each other again. I told her that we could never see each other again. That I was feeling guilty, so I had confessed to Lily about my affair. After all, you always have to make them believe your wife already knows. Otherwise, they'll threaten to tell her.

Anyway, I told her that Lily said she'd forgive me, for we've both made mistakes in our marriage, but she had to be my only one if we were going to make our marriage work.

Samantha was ditzy enough to believe me. She hadn't taken it easy. Oh, no. She cried, and begged me to stay.

"I thought you didn't really love your wife!" she had cried.

I told her that being with Lily, and Lily knowing about my affair and still forgiving me had made me realize how much I really do still love her.

Samantha then asked why I just slept with her then if I planned on going back to my wife.

I told her, I had wanted to let her down easy.

Samantha smacked me hard across the face, and told me to get dressed, then get the hell out of her hotel room.

It was funny she called it _her_ hotel room, seeing as I was the one who paid for it.

I told her I paid for it, and was not leaving until I had had a shower and changed.

Needless to say, by the time I got out of the shower, she was gone. It was fine with me.

Back to the Lily and Rufus situation. I will keep my mouth shut this time. But if Rufus ever tries a stunt like that again, there will be hell to pay.

~BA~

William walked into the bar, and sat down next to a pretty red head with perky breasts, sitting at the bar. He bet she was fun in bed. He smiled at her. The nice thing about a singles bar was everyone there was single. You never had to worry about someone's boyfriend punching your lights out for hitting on their girlfriend. That's why he had chosen this bar to begin with.

He smiled at her. "Well, aren't _you_ beautiful? In fact, you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen here, and I come here a lot!"

She grinned at him. "Since you complimented me in a way that didn't involve a cheesy pick up line, I'll buy you a drink and let you talk some more to me."

"But I should be buying _you_ the drink. Not the other way around," William said, pleasantly surprised.

She raised an eyebrow. "Says who? Don't tell me you're one of those guys who think that women can't afford to pay for someone else's drink, or even their own drink. And please don't tell me you're one of those guys who seem to think that women are helpless without them."

William held his hands up in defense. "No, not at all. If you really want to buy me a drink, then thank you. I will graciously oblige."

The girl smiled, and extended her hand out to him. "The names Cassidy. Cassidy Reynolds. And I wear the pants in _all_ my relationships. If you think you can handle me, then lets have some drinks and get to know each other, aye?"

William grinned, nodded, and shook her hand. "William van der Woodsen."

Cassidy shook his hand nice and firmly. "Nice to meet ya, William van der Woodsen! Now, pick your poison!"

William grinned like the Cheshire cat. "A Gin and Tonic please. On the rocks."

Cassidy signaled he bartender to order their drinks.

William then propped his elbow on the bar, and rested his head on his left palm, his eyes lingering to Cassidy's extremely low-cut top. She certainly was well endowed.

He sighed with contentment. Life was good.

~Begin Again~

Rufus sighed. He still didn't know how he was going to break it to Lisa about his kiss with Lily. In fact, he was once again toying with the idea of not telling her, despite his earlier decision of not wanting to lie to her. Even so, the fact that he wasn't ready didn't matter. It was time to leave to pick up his fiancé from the airport. He was hoping the drive would help him to figure things out, but it didn't. When he arrived at the airport, he didn't know anymore what he should do than he had when he left. Should he tell Lisa about the kiss, or shouldn't he? He kept going back and forth on whether or not he should tell her.

He parked, then headed into the airport. He paced back and forth as he waited for her. And, by the time she showed up, smiling so brightly at him, he was as torn as ever when it came to what to do.

She shrieked, and ran to him. She jumped on him and kissed him passionately.

He held her close, and kissed her back just as passionately.

"Mm, I missed you so much!" she said after finally breaking the kiss.

"I missed you too," he said, his eyes lowering with love for her as he nuzzled his nose against hers. "Did you have a nice flight?"

"Yeah, I did," Lisa said.

He set her down. "So, you enjoyed your trip?"

Lisa nodded. "Yes!" Debbie's talking about us going back there for my bachelorette party."

"That would be fun. I guess I'd have to allow you the hot, young, male stripper then. But just for the night! And no more than one dance!" Rufus grinned even though he didn't feel very much like grinning.

Lisa giggled. "Na! We'd just do some drinking, and a little gambling. Maybe go to a show. I don't need strippers. Your body is the only body I want to see naked!"

An old lady who was walking by them, glanced over at Lisa, apparently having heard her.

Lisa covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Oops!" she said, looking up at Rufus, blushing.

Rufus laughed. "Let's get your bags, and get out of here. We'll go home, then I'll see about arranging that!"

Lisa laughed. "Sounds like a deal, Sexy!" She clicked her tongue and winked at him. "Rawr!"

Rufus laughed. "You're crazy!"

Lisa grinned. "Indeed I am!"

Rufus laughed again, and they walked to baggage claim with their arms around each other.

Rufus decided then that Lisa deserved to know the truth. After all, the kiss had meant nothing. If he told her, it would show he had nothing to hide, and that it had meant nothing. It would seem like a lot more if Lisa somehow ended up finding out about it and he hadn't told her. He'd tell her as soon as they got in the car before he lost his nerve.

"Hey, as much as I'm eager to get home with you and see that sexy naked body of yours, do you mind if we stop somewhere to eat first? I'm starved!" Lisa asked once she found her bag and retrieved it.

Rufus took it from her, and then wrapped his free arm around her again. "That's fine with me! I'm hungry too."

Lisa grinned, then kissed him quickly as she wrapped her arm around him again as well.

Then, they headed out of the airport, their arms still around each other.

"_I'll just wait until we get home to tell her_," Rufus thought. After all, he figured there was no use in ruining their dinner.

~Begin Again~

Lily paced the bedroom back and forth. She had called William ten times now, and left messages, but he hadn't answered her calls, and hadn't returned any of her text messages either. She was starting to worry. Had something happened to him? Was he really that angry with her?

She had checked the news, and at one point even called a couple hospitals. Thankfully, he wasn't on the news, nor had he been admitted to any hospitals.

She called Serena up to see if she had heard from her father. She hadn't. Next, she called up Lola, but, unfortunately, Lola hadn't heard from him either. Nor had Eric when she called him.

William had only been missing for seven hours. She knew that, to the police, he wouldn't be anywhere _near_ considered missing. Especially not after he had stormed out after a fight with her. Still, she was worried, and to her, it sure felt like he was missing.

She sighed. She hadn't even eaten dinner, and it was now eight o'clock. She hadn't had much of an appetite, but now she was feeling a little hungry despite her worry and concern over her missing husband.

So, she headed to the fridge and took out some leftover Chinese food from the other night. She also took out the leftover Champaign, and downed the whole meal within five minutes. She knew it wasn't the healthiest combination, but frankly, she wasn't in the mood to worry about what was healthy to consume and what wasn't.

She tossed the now empty cartons in the trash, and put the now empty Champaign bottle in the recycling bin. Then, she tossed her dirty silverware into the dishwasher, and slammed the dishwasher door shut.

She looked at the clock, wondering how sometimes, time could go so fast, whereas other times, like now, it could go so slowly.

With a sigh, she headed upstairs to take a bath. She needed a nice warm bubble bath to relax. Well, relax as well as she could with her husband being missing.

She would bring the phone with her to keep nearby in case he called her, though, she knew deep down, he wasn't going to call. He was too angry.

Which led her to another worry. What if he never forgave her? What if he left her over this? What if her stupid mistake of kissing Rufus had cost her her marriage? If it had, she'd never forgive herself. And, she'd certainly never forgive Rufus Humphrey!

~Begin Again~

Rufus paced the floor as he waited for Lisa to come out of the bathroom. With all the pacing he had been doing lately, he was surprised he hadn't worked a hole in the floor.

They had had such a nice dinner, and Lisa had told him all about her trip.

He had nearly choked on his food when she asked him how his night had went. He did manage to get out the story of how he ended up spending the evening with Lily. Lisa had been very understanding, and even said she was glad that he and Lily had been able to spend the evening together instead of being alone. He knew that she was only so understanding because he had left out one very important detail—the midnight kiss.

However, they were back from dinner, and Lisa was now in the bathroom, probably putting on some sexy lingerie for him. When she came out, they were supposed to make love.

Rufus couldn't make love with Lisa. Not before telling her about the kiss. His conscious simply wouldn't let him.

He stopped pacing when he heard the bathroom door opening. He looked over toward the bathroom door, and just as he had suspected, there stood Lisa in a sexy little black teddy with golden sparkles lining the breasts and the leg holes.

"Is it too much?" she asked with a blush. "I got it in Vegas. I didn't want to get it, but Debbie told me you would probably kill to see me in it, so I bought it. I knew you and I would be having our own private little New Year's celebration, and I figured, with the gold sparkles and all, this would be perfect for it."

Rufus sat down on the bed. "It _is_ perfect, and you look perfect in it."

"Are you sure? Because you both look and sound a little distracted," Lisa said, moving to sit down next to him.

Rufus sighed. He then took Lisa's hands in his own, and faced her on the bed. "Lisa, before we make love, there's something you have to know."

"What is it?" she asked, sounding a little nervous. She removed her left hand from his to move some hair to behind her left ear.

Rufus quickly continued. "Now, before I tell you, I want you to know that it meant absolutely nothing, and that I only did it because I missed you, and was feeling lonely. Plus, I had been drinking a lot of Champaign. I'm sure that must have had something to do with it."

Lisa turned pale. Rufus had never actually seen someone literally turn ghostly white before his eyes. That is, until now.

"I don't think I like where this is going," she said.

"It's not as bad as you think. I didn't sleep with Lily. I just sort of kissed her. At midnight," Rufus explained.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by, 'just sort of' kissed her? Either you did or you didn't."

Rufus nodded. "Fair enough. I did. I kissed her—passionately at that. It wasn't just a simple peck on the lips."

"Why? Don't you love me anymore?" Lisa asked, now pulling her other hand away from him. She had tears in her eyes.

Rufus officially felt like a world class jerk. "No! I mean yes!" He took her hands in his again. "Of _course_ I love you, Lisa! You're my whole world! I honestly don't know why I kissed her. I just missed you so much, and it was New Year's Eve. I was lonely, and I had some Champaign in me... Look, I know there's no good excuse or it, but it happened. But that was the only time, and I assure you, it will never happen again. _You're_ the one I love—not Lily. Lily and I are so wrong for each other, and you and I are so right for each other."

Lisa pulled her hands away from his again. "So, you kissed her at midnight?"

Rufus nodded. "Yes."

"I called you just a little after midnight." Lisa placed a hand over her heart at the realization. "Oh my gosh, were you kissing her when I called you?"

Rufus looked down at his lap in shame. "Yes. I was kissing her, and then you called, and it was over."

"Why didn't you tell me right then when you were on the phone with me? Or even today at the airport, at dinner, or anytime we spend in the car?" Lisa asked next.

Rufus looked up at her. His own eyes damp. He shrugged. "I guess I was just afraid you'd leave me. I knew I had to tell you. I just kept getting too scared to tell you. But I'm telling you now because I couldn't make love with you with this secret still hanging over my head. It wouldn't be right."

Lisa raised an eyebrow again. "But kissing your ex wife behind my back is right?"

Rufus hook his head. "No! Of course not! Look, Lisa, it was a one time thing. I regret it so much. I was an idiot." He took her hands in his yet again. "Do you think you can ever forgive me?"

Lisa sighed. "I don't know. You know, I should be mad as hell at you."

Rufus nodded. "I know. You have every right to be."

Lisa then smiled. "But I can't stay angry with you. You told me the truth. It took you a bit, but the point is, you told me. That shows me, it really didn't mean anything to you, and that I can still trust you. And, I know you only did it because you missed me, and because you had some alcohol in you."

Rufus nodded. "All true."

Lisa then narrowed her eyes at him. "But this is a one-time pass, Rufus. If you ever do it again, even just a kiss with Lily or anyone else, we're through. I will not marry, nor will I be married to a cheater. Do I make myself clear?"

Rufus nodded. "Yes! Yes, crystal clear. Thank you for forgiving me! It's so much more than I deserve. I know."

Lisa smiled. "You're good to me, and you were honest. Of course you deserve my forgiveness! Now, are you going to take this too-tight, slightly itchy thing off of me or what?"

Rufus grinned. "If you still want me to."

Lisa smiled brightly, and squeezed his hands in her own."Of course I do! I _told_ you, I forgive you for the kiss! Besides, I meant what I said. This thing really is too tight, and slightly itchy. In fact, It's a _lot_ itchy. I think I might just be allergic to the material."

Rufus laughed; so relieved to be forgiven. He had done all that worrying for nothing! "Well, then, by all means, let me get this off of you!"

Lisa giggled, and they went to work at finally celebrating the new year together.

~Begin Again~

Lily tossed and turned in her bed. She could't sleep. She had thought a nice warm bubble bath would have done the trick, but it hadn't. She had watched two Lifetime movies, and cried her eyes out during both. She had gotten up to get some warm milk. She had paced the floor for a half hour. Heck, she had even tried counting sheep! Nothing was working.

She was worried about William. He still hadn't called her. She had called the hospitals again, and still there was no word of him being checked into the hospitals. Not even any John Doe. She had asked.

She had thought her last message to him would get him to call her for sure, but it hadn't.

_William, please call me back. I'm so worried about you. At least text me. Even if you're angry with me, you don't want me worrying about you. Do you? Please, just let me know you're not hurt, or lying in a ditch somewhere. I love you. It's always been you and only you for me. Please, call me or text me. I'm sorry. I'm never going to do something so stupid as to kiss Rufus Humphrey or anyone else ever again! Heck, especially not Rufus Humphrey. Please, just text or call me back. I beg of you. -Your Lily Always._

She had meant every word of the text, but despite her numerous, honest, heartfelt pleas for him to call or text her, he didn't.

She sighed, and rolled over onto her side, facing the window. "Where are you, William? Where?"

The tears started to fall then, and she couldn't stop them as they made a quick stream down her cheeks.

She sniffled, and reached for a tissue on her bed stand. She blew her nose, then tossed the tissue toward the wastebasket. She missed, but she simply didn't have the energy to get out of bed and put it in the basket. She would do it tomorrow. She may not have been tired, but it didn't mean she wasn't drained. In fact, right now, she very highly doubted she cloud lift her head from the pillow for more than a second.

She rolled over onto her other side to look at the clock. It was ten-thirty. Usually by now, she and William would still be out and about doing something or another. Whether it be a party, or a movie, or sometimes, a very late dinner. Then sometimes, when they came home early, they'd be making love by now.

She sighed again as she thought back to all the happy times she had had with William. Then she thought about having kissed Rufus at midnight. She didn't know why she had done it. She probably never would other than their history, loneliness, and the Champaign in her system. Not that she had drank all that much. Heck, not that it had even been in her system that long when she kissed him.

She let out a cry of frustration, and pounded her fist on William's unoccupied pillow beside her. "What have I done?" she groaned. "Calm down," she told herself. "William loves you. He's not going to leave you just because you kissed your ex husband one time. Not when it didn't mean anything."

She rolled to her other side, and closed her eyes. She kept repeating that last line over and over in her head, hoping that, if she was able to convince herself that William wouldn't leave her over one stupid kiss that meant absolutely nothing with her ex husband, then maybe, just maybe, sleep would finally arrive for her. One could only hope.

~Begin Again~

"So, do you like?" Cassidy asked with a smile as she disrobed in front of William at her place.

William licked his lips. "Like? I love. But I must say, as sexy as that black little lace thong and matching black bra are on you, they really must go." He loved that Cassidy's roommate was out of town for the week. This way, they didn't have to waste money on a hotel. Then again, maybe, if her roommate was single and into this kind of thing, she could join them when she got back. That is, if he could be bothered to stay with Cassidy for more than a week.

Cassidy smirked. "Do you think that is going to come cheap? Think again, because it's not."

William was confused. "You want me to pay you to remove them?"

Cassidy rolled her eyes. "Not with money. I'm not a hooker, you know. You're lucky you're cute. Otherwise, I wouldn't take that comment too kindly."

William shook his head. "No, no! I wasn't suggesting that you were a hooker. I just didn't understand what you meant by, 'it doesn't come cheap.'"

Cassidy smirked again. "Well, then let me explain it to you in a way that you'll understand." She slowly sauntered over to him, then grabbed him, pressing his body hard against hers as she whispered into his ear, "What I meant was, you're going to have to work for it if you want me to take these off. You see, I'm the kind of girl who loves foreplay, and lots of it at that. In fact, I like it when a guy gets me so hot, I'm begging to have him inside of me, and he's begging to _be_ inside of me. Do you get it now?"

William moaned out loud. Did he ever!

He swallowed hard before responding. "Oh, I get it. He licked his lips. "So, what did you have in mind?"

Cassidy grinned widely at him. "Oh, I can think of more than a few things. The question is, can _you_?"

William bit his bottom lip. This girl was already driving him wild, and he didn't even have his pants off yet!

He nodded at her. "Why don't you start me off with an idea, and I'll take it from there?"

Cassidy tapped her mouth with her right index finger as if contemplating this. Then, after a very brief moment, she grinned at him. "All right. I'll tell you something I like." She narrowed her eyes. "But you better elaborate on it pretty darn good. Otherwise, this thing is over before it starts. If there's anything I can't stand, it's a man who doesn't know how to be creative in the bedroom."

"Oh, I can be _very_ creative in the bedroom, I assure you," William stated. "All I need is a little push in the right direction, and I promise you, you won't be disappointed."

"I better not be," Cassidy warned. "Now listen up because I'm only going to tell you once." She then pulled him close again, and whispered in his ear what she would like.

William couldn't help but moan again. This Cassidy woman was a very dirty girl. Lucky for her, he liked dirty. He liked dirty a _lot_. And, he knew just how to elaborate her intimate wish. After all, he had had a lot of practice. Though, it certainly hadn't been with Lily, who was far too much of a prude to ask him to do something like this!

He picked Cassidy up, and tossed her onto the bed, roughly spreading her legs apart. She hadn't said anything about being rough, but for some reason, Cassidy struck him as a girl who liked to play rough. Judging from the pleased smirk on Cassidy's face, and the lack of protest coming from her, William knew he was correct in his thinking so.

He licked his lips. It was going to be a long, but incredibly fun night. And he knew that he would love every long minute of it! Besides, who needed sleep when you had a girl like Cassidy Reynolds? Not him. He was certain of that!

~Begin Again~

That night, Rufus lie in bed with Lisa in his arms. She was sleeping soundly. They had made love a half hour earlier, then she had simply drifted off to sleep. He knew she must be exhausted from her Vegas trip. After all, you don't get much sleep in Vegas. He knew that for a fact. He'd been there many times before with Lincoln Hawk. Plus, the plane ride couldn't have helped matters. After all, who wasn't tired after a long flight? Especially when she didn't get to sleep until four hours after her flight arrived back in NY.

After dinner, they had made love. Then they had gotten dressed, and went out for dessert, for they had both suddenly gotten a craving for chocolate cake. They had taken a walk through the park hand-in-hand after that. It was a semi-warm night for winter, and a lot of stars were out. They had walked around the park, and gazed up at the stars, discussing what kind of wedding they wanted, where they'd like to go for their honeymoon, and what they wished to accomplish in life. Lisa wanted do a world tour, and Rufus agreed that it would be pretty amazing to do a world tour. They then came up with the idea of touring together around the world, doing kind of a double concert type of thing. After all, the kids were all grown up. As long as Lisa came with him, Rufus had no one to stay in New York for anymore.

They then headed home, and watched a romantic comedy on TV. Then, they ended up making love again. Now, after their lovemaking, Lisa was out cold, and Rufus was, well, not out cold. In fact, he was finding it very hard to sleep. He wondered what had happened to him being tired earlier. He guessed, he had gotten his second wind.

He sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. He was lucky that Lisa was a kind, decent, and forgiving person. She could have been really angry with him for kissing Lily. Especially when he hadn't told her about it right away. Instead, she had forgiven him just like that. In fact, he hardly had to explain himself at all! Seriously, what woman forgives the man she is going to marry for kissing his ex-wife passionately? There weren't many, he knew. If any besides Lisa.

He sighed again. This time, he had gotten off easy. Next time, well, there wouldn't be a next time. He was over Lily. Besides, Lisa had made it perfectly clear that she would leave him if there was a next time. He couldn't lose Lisa. He just couldn't!

He gently released Lisa from his arms, careful not to wake her.

Lisa stirred a bit, but then turned on her side, and went back to sleep without a word.

He then headed into the kitchen, took out a glass, and got himself a glass of water. Next, he sat down at the kitchen island, and drank his water as he thought about the kiss again. The more he thought about the kiss, the guiltier he felt. He honestly didn't know what had gotten into him when he kissed Lily. Sure, like he told Lisa, he had been drinking Champaign. But, in reality, it hadn't been all that much. Not to mention the fact that he had kissed Lily before the Champaign had much time to settle into his system.

He sighed, then drank down the rest of the water, put the glass in the sink, headed to the bathroom, went to the bathroom, washed his hands, then _finally_ climbed back into bed, hoping against hope that sleep would finally greet him.


	5. To Catch a Cheat

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 5: To Catch a Cheat**_

"Serena, thank you for agreeing to meet me for breakfast!" Lisa said as Serena met her at a new little café that had opened up a month ago that was simply named, "Brunch." They called it that because it was only open for breakfast and lunch.

"Hey, thanks for inviting me," Serena said, smiling brightly.

"Two please!" Lisa told the host, who promptly seated them at a nice table for two in front of the fireplace.

"Your waitress will be right with you to take your drink order," the host informed them.

Serena and Lisa both smiled at him, and thanked him.

Lisa and Serena looked over their menus then. Lisa had been there twice before—once for breakfast, and once for lunch—but Serena hadn't, so she asked Lisa things like how the food was there, and what she should order.

The waitress soon arrived, and took their drink and food orders at the same time. Once she left, Lisa decided to tell Serena the reason she had invited her out for breakfast.

"Serena, I have to admit, I invited you here for a reason other than just having breakfast with my future daughter-in-law," Lisa began.

Serena shifted in her seat. "Okay... That sounds ominous." She smiled, looking a little nervous.

Lisa shook her head. "Oh, it's nothing bad! At least, I hope you don't find it bad. "I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Sure! What is it?" Serena asked, her tone more relaxed now.

"Well, Rufus and I have set a wedding date," Lisa revealed.

Serena grinned brightly. "Really? That's great! When? Or can't you tell me yet?"

Lisa grinned too. "You'll be the first to know besides Rufus and I obviously." She giggled.

Serena smiled. "Get to it, Woman!" She laughed to show she didn't mean any disrespect by the term, "Woman."

"April 20th!" Lisa clapped her hands excitedly. "I know it's incredibly soon, but Rufus and I love each other, and don't feel the need to put off the wedding. Besides, we're not going to have a huge wedding. Just a small ceremony with family and close friends. Plus, I love spring, and I really wanted a spring wedding. So, we both decided upon April. April is just such a nice time of year!" Lisa said excitedly. "The twentieth happened to be on a Saturday, and so we picked it. It is more toward the end of April, so the weather has a better chance of being nice. I didn't want it to be the last Saturday in April because we want to honeymoon for a week, and I still wanted our honeymoon to be in April."

"Wow. You put a lot of thought into the date it seems!" Serena said, sounding impressed.

Lisa blushed. "I did. But I always thought the most fun is planning."

Serena smiled. "You're right. It is! So, that's why you wanted to take me to breakfast? To tell me your wedding date?"

Lisa giggled. "Of course not, Silly! I could have just told you over the phone if that was all I wanted to tell you. I actually want to ask you if you'll do me the honor of being one of my bride's maids. I'd ask you to be my matron of honor, but my sister would kill me if I didn't have her as my maid of honor."

"Oh my gosh, Lisa! Of _course_ I'll be a bride's maid! Thank you so much for asking me to be one! Come here!" Serena got out of her chair, walked over to Lisa, bent down, and hugged her tightly. "I'm honored to be asked!"

Lisa hugged her tightly back. "Really? I'm so glad you even want to be in it!"

"Why wouldn't I want to be?" Serena asked as she headed back to her seat.

"Well, with Lily being Rufus' ex-wife, and you being Lily's daughter, I figured you might not want to be a part of the wedding," Lisa explained.

"What? No! Rufus is my father-in-law now, and you make him happy. I love Rufus, and now I love you. My mom has long since moved on with my dad. Trust me, there's no reason I wouldn't want to be in this wedding," Serena said.

"Good! So, there's no weirdness for you? Are you sure?" Lisa asked; still a little worried.

Serena shook her head. "Not at all. Trust me, I'm _so_ happy to be in this wedding. But promise me one thing please?"

"What's that?" Lisa asked.

"Please don't make my dress be ugly!" Serena play whined.

Lisa laughed. "Actually, that's another thing I want to talk to you about."

Serena winced. "It's baby puke green and frilly, isn't it?"

Lisa laughed. "Give me some credit, Serena! I know my style isn't always runway ready, but it's certainly not puke green and frilly bad, is it?"

Serena shook her head. "No! Of course not. I just figured maybe you'd want to make your wedding party look really bad so that you'll look even more beautiful. But the wedding party can look beautiful, and you'll still be the most beautiful one there. Not to mention the fact that you're going to be the only one Rufus sees."

Lisa blushed. "Well, I appreciate that. Actually, I wanted to ask you if you would come with me today to shop around for dresses? I know I still have three months, but I'm so eager to get everything ready."

"Trust me. When it comes to a wedding that is only three months away, you have to start ASAP. I'd be happy to go dress shopping with you," Serena said.

"Yay!" Lisa happily clapped her hands. "Are you free after breakfast?"

Serena nodded. "Dan's busy writing his new book, so I'm free to do whatever!"

Lisa grinned.

"Besides," Serena said, "if I help you shop, I can make sure my dress isn't ugly."

Lisa laughed. "Very funny!"

"Hey, look, or drinks are here. I didn't even see our waitress bring them," Serena said, eyeing the orange juice in front of her.

Lisa laughed. "I didn't either. I guess we were too wrapped up in our conversation to notice."

"I guess so!" Serena agreed. "Well, they came at a perfect time. To you having a beautiful wedding, and a very happy marriage."

"I'll toast to that!" Lisa said.

They grinned at each other, and clinked glasses.

They then took a sip of their drinks, and set their glasses down as they licked their lips.

"So, puke green is out. What do you think about royal blue?" Lisa asked.

Serena grinned. "Now royal blue I can work with!"

Lisa grinned too, and they soon began to plan for the wedding while they waited for their breakfast to arrive.

~Begin Again~

"William! Oh my gosh, where _were_ you all night?" Lily asked, tears in her eyes as she ran to greet her husband who had only just now arrived back at the apartment.

"I'm sorry. I stayed at a hotel. I needed sometime to cool off. I just got your messages today. I had turned my phone off. I knew you'd be calling, and I was angry," William explained.

"I thought you could be hurt somewhere, or that you never wanted to see me again! All kind of things were running through my head!" Lily said, tears filling her eyes.

"Don't cry. I'm sorry. I should have at least told you where I was," William said gently. "I got you these." He brought a bouquet of two dozen red roses out from behind his back, and handed them to her. "I had time to think it over, and I know I overreacted. I just hated the thought of another man's lips on yours. Especially Rufus Humphrey's. I think that is what stung the most, the fact that it was Rufus whom you kissed. I mean, he was your husband at one point, and... Well, let's face it. I've always been threatened by Rufus."

Lily took the roses from William, and sniffed them. She closed her eyes as she inhaled their sweet aroma. She knew she should be upset with William for not having called or texted her all night, but she was just too glad to have him home and not angry with her to be angry wit him. Besides, he had a pretty valid reason for being angry.

She sighed, and opened her eyes. "Oh, William, I told you my Darling, Rufus means absolutely nothing to me anymore. Well, not romantically anyway. You have nothing to feel threatened about. Honestly, like I said, I only kissed him because I missed you. And, if it makes you feel any better, I didn't kiss him last night even though I missed you. Heck, I didn't even see him!" She grinned, hoping her teasing would obliviate any tension that might be left between them.

William grinned. "Well, I'm very happy to hear that! And, if it makes _you_ feel any better, I was miserable and lonely without you last night. I couldn't sleep much at all."

Lily smiled, and headed to the kitchen to get a vase. "It makes me feel slightly better," she said as she found one, and filled it with water.

"So, is all forgiven?" William asked, coming up behind her, and wrapping his arms around her wast.

Lily smiled, and put the roses in the water. She raised an eyebrow, and looked over her shoulder at him. "You tell me!"

"Let me put it this way. I'll forgive you for kissing Rufus if you promise never to do it again, and if you forgive me for leaving angry, and staying out all night without calling you. Which of course, I promise to never do again. Sound like a deal?"

Lily grinned, then turned around, and draped her arms over his shoulders. "That definitely sounds like a deal!"

William grinned too, and they kissed passionately, seeming to make up for lost time even though "lost time" had been less than a day.

"Do you want to take this up to the bedroom?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.

William winced. "I'd love to, Honey, but I can't. I have to take a shower, and get ready for work."

"You have to work today?" Lily asked with a pout. "But I just got you back."

"I know, Darling, but I have to. But I only work until nine, so, if you don't mind having a late dinner, I'll take you out to dinner tonight. Then we can come straight home for our dessert." He winked at her, and smiled.

Lily smiled too. "All right. When you put it _that_ way!"

William kissed her. "I'll meet you at the restaurant instead of coming straight home after work so that it doesn't get too late. Where do you want to go?"

"I can call and get us reservations at Jean Georges. You know, something different for a change." Lily said, her arms still draped over his shoulders.

He kissed her again. "Sounds good! Now, as much as I hate to, I really have to go get ready for work." William kissed her one more time, then headed up the stairs to go take a shower, and dress for work.

Lily smiled, and walked over to the island, where she had left the roses.

She smelled the roses again. They smelled even sweeter now that she knew she wasn't going to lose her marriage to the whole kissing Rufus ordeal. William wasn't even angry with her anymore! It was more than she could have hoped for.

With the smile still on her face, she headed over to the phone to make William's and her reservation to Jean Georges.

She guessed, since William had forgiven her, she wouldn't have to hate Rufus. Even so, it would be a cold day in hell before she kissed him again. Not even then. She had almost lost William over that kiss. It would never happen again. _Never_.

~Begin Again~

"How about this one?" Serena held up a knee-length, red, silk dress that was sleeveless, had a square neckline, and had a cinched in waste to make it more flattering on whomever wore it. They were shopping for dresses at Barney's. Lisa hadn't wanted to get her wedding party's clothes at a bridal store because she wanted dresses that were less likely to be worn by other bride's maids. She wanted her wedding to be unique.

Lisa looked at it, and tapped her mouth with her right index finger as she contemplated it. "Hm, it's pretty, but I don't know if I like red for a wedding."

"You're right. I still might keep it though. I kind of like it! It can be my Valentine's Day dress," Serena said.

"Yeah, you should!" Lisa grinned. "I know Dan will love you in it."

"Here's a blue one, if you're set on royal blue." Serena held up a floor-length, one-strapped blue chiffon dress with a sparkly silver band around the waist.

Lisa looked at. "Hm, again, it's pretty, but I think it's a little too flashy. I kind of want a muted attire for the wedding. Nothing to glitzy." She suddenly spotted another royal blue dress. She picked it off the rack, and held it up to Serena. "Do you like this one?"

Serena looked at the high-necked, long-sleeved, knee-length, royal blue lace dress. "It's pretty, but a little..." She trailed off.

"What?" Lisa asked.

Serena winced as is silently apologizing ahead of time for the comments she was about to make about a dress Lisa had chosen. "Plain and frumpy."

"Well, I think it's cute," Lisa said, a little pout on her face.

"It's cute, but for a wedding? I don't know. I guess I'm expecting something more," Serena said.

Lisa sighed. "All right." She put the dress back. "Maybe we should go somewhere else to look."

Serena nodded. "Yeah, let's go to Saks. They have beautiful dresses."

"Good idea!" Lisa said.

They both turned to head out, then they both stopped in their tracks. They saw the dress at the same time.

"How about _that_ one?" they said in unison, both pointing at the same dress. It was a royal blue, chiffon dress with an asymmetrical hemline that gave it kind of a fairy cut look. It had a scoop neck, and looked like the back would go just below the knees, whereas the front would go just _above_ the knees. It had a skinny gold belt around the waist.

"I guess that's the dress!" Serena said with a laugh.

"I guess so! Well, _that_ didn't take too long!" Lisa said happily. She grabbed one of the dresses. "I'll get this one in Debbie's size, and you can grab your size. I guess I'll get these two for my friends Amy and Shelly. I haven't asked them to be my bride's maids yet, but I know they'll say yes. Lucky for me, the three of us have always been the same size dress, so I never forget their sizes!" She quickly grabbed two more dresses.

Serena already had her size in her hands. "It's a good thing they have all the sizes we need."

"I know, right?" Lisa asked.

"What about shoes?" Serena then asked.

"I guess we could go to the bridal store for that. I still have to pick out my wedding dress. I was thinking Vera Wang. I know I said I don't want to go all out for the wedding attire, but for the wedding dress..." Lisa trailed off.

"You're _supposed_ to go all out for the wedding dress! After all, you're the guest of honor," Serena finished for her.

Lisa blushed. "Well, me and Rufus."

Serena hit the air with her hand, as if to dismiss Lisa's words. "Forget about Rufus! He's just going to stand there in a tuxedo, looking like a penguin!"

For some reason, this made Lisa laugh—hard. In fact, she laughed so hard, she snorted. "He wouldn't be a very fat penguin," she managed to get out.

Encouraged, Serena continued. "If he keeps on eating those waffles the way he's been eating them, he will be. He'll be waddling down the aisle with you once you're married."

Lisa laughed even harder yet, snorting like crazy now.

"Forget Beauty and the Beast. You'll be Beauty and the Penguin!" Serena said.

"Stop! Stop!" Lisa said between snorts. "You're going to make me pee my pants!"

A lady looked over at Lisa when she said that last comment, which made Serena burst into laughter.

Soon, both Lisa and Serena were laughing so hard, they had tears streaming down their cheeks.

"Okay, let's get out of here before we get kicked out!" Serena said.

"Good idea. Right after we pay for these," Lisa said, holding up the dresses.

"Oh! Right. I forgot," Serena said.

They looked at each other, trying not to laugh, then they burst into laughter again.

They then headed to the checkout, still laughing. Laughing about what, they had no idea.

~Begin Again~

Meanwhile, Lily had gone out to do some shopping of her own, once William was gone. There were a few things she needed, and of course a few things she didn't need exactly, but wanted anyway. She had shopped at all her favorite stores, and was finally leaving the last store on her agenda.

She was just about to think about calling Serena to get some lunch, when she heard Serena's laughter.

Lily looked up and saw Serena and Lisa walking out of the bridal shop, laughing hysterically.

"Serena, no thanks to you, I can't have Rufus wearing a black suit. At least not with a white shirt. All I'll be able to think about is..." Instead of finishing her sentence, Lisa puffed up her cheeks, and began to waddle for her next few steps.

Serena laughed. "Maybe he better wear navy, and cut down on the waffles. Can you imagine bursting into a fit of laughter when the minister asks if you take Rufus to be your husband?"

Lisa laughed. "Oh my gosh! I can just see it now: Rufus flushing bright red, and getting all offended."

Serena grinned. "Then we try to explain to him about the penguin thing, and he'd get even more offended."

"Actually, he'd just be like, huh?" Lisa put on a dumb face.

Serena laughed. "Actually, yes. Rufus can be clueless sometimes."

"Aw, not clueless. It just takes him longer to get things sometimes," Lisa said.

Serena and Lisa both looked at each other. "Clueless!" they said in unison, then burst into laughter again.

Lily resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She wasn't quite sure she understood what they were laughing at. Whatever it was, she failed to see even the slightest bit of humor in it. And, she really didn't like that Serena was hanging out with Lisa, acting like they had been best friends for years. Lily hadn't even known her daughter was that close with Lisa. So, when did all this happen?

Lily walked over to Serena and Lisa, and put on a smile even though she didn't feel the least bit like smiling. "Hello, Serena!" She looked over at Lisa just long enough to greet her. "Hello, Lisa. It's good to see you." She had already turned her attention back to Serena when Lisa told her it was good to see her too. "It's funny bumping into you, Serena. I was thinking about inviting you for lunch."

Serena hugged her mother. "It's good to see you, Mom. I'm sorry though, I can't do lunch with you. Dan has been working hard on his book all day, and I want to bring him some lunch home, and eat with him. Thanks for the offer though. Call me later, and we can get together sometime this week!"

Lily was disappointed. Sure, Serena could spend the day shopping with Lisa, but she couldn't spend one little lunch with her mother. Even so, Serena was her daughter, and she was married now. She had a life, Lily knew.

She hugged Serena again. "I'm going to hold you to that!"

Serena smiled. "Actually, Friday is good for me. We can have lunch at noon, and go anywhere you want!" She pulled away, then said goodbye to Lisa. "It was so much fun shopping with you today! We'll have to do it again. Oh, and thanks for breakfast!" She hugged Lisa.

Lisa hugged her back. "I had fun too, and you're very welcome! It's the least I can do to thank you for agreeing to be a bride's maid and helping me pick out the wedding party clothes!"

"Trust me, I was more than happy to even without the breakfast. I'll get the tab next time," Serena told her with a wink as she broke the hug. "And have Rufus stay away from waffles so that he doesn't start waddling!"

They both laughed again.

This time, Lily _did_ roll her eyes. Serena and Lisa were getting annoying now. Plus it annoyed her even more knowing that Serena could do breakfast with Lisa, but not lunch with her own mother. Planning another time for lunch was beside the point. And, Serena was not only in the wedding, but helping Lisa shop for it now? Lily was _beyond_ annoyed _now_.

"Bye, Mom! Call me later to remind me about Friday!" Serena said as she waved to Lily.

Lily waved back. "Goodbye, my Darling. I will!"

And then Serena was gone. And Lisa wasn't.

"Hey, if you're looking for someone to have lunch with, I'm available," Lisa told her.

Lily looked at Lisa, who was smiling sweetly at her. Hadn't Rufus told her about the kiss yet? She sighed. She didn't really feel like having lunch with Lisa, but what could she say? She smiled what she hoped was convincingly. "All right, sure. Any particular place you'd like to go?"

"Actually, there's this cute little cafe that Serena and I went to for breakfast, called Brunch. They have a great lunch menu. We could go there," Lisa suggested.

"Sure. That sounds fine. Lead the way," Lily said, reluctantly.

"It's actually just down the street a block. It's not far at all," Lisa said, walking the way Lily had came from.

"Good," Lily said underneath her breath. She just wanted to get this over with, then get the hell away from Lisa, who always seemed to annoy her more and more with each passing minute.

~Begin Again~

"So, I heard you kissed my husband," Lisa said after they had given their food order.

Lily coughed on her iced tea. She hadn't seen _that_ coming! Lisa hadn't said a thing about the kiss until now. That included not during their walk to the cafe, not after the waiter left to get their drinks, and not when he set their drinks on the table and took their food order.

Lisa hit the air with her hand, and smiled. "No need to feel awkward or worry. Rufus explained to me that you were missing William, and he was missing me."

Lily coughed once more to clear out the feeling of drops of iced tea stuck in her throat. Then, she spoke. "Exactly! We just got caught up in the moment. Plus, in all fairness, it was New Year's Eve. We were both wanting to kiss someone, and we both just happened to be there..." She trailed off, and took another sip of her iced tea. Lily felt ridiculous, letting Lisa make her feel so uncomfortable. Lily _never_ let anyone make her feel uncomfortable. This of course made her annoyed with Lisa even more, putting her at an extremely dangerous level of annoyance.

"Well, even if you feel like kissing someone next time, and have no one in the room with you but Rufus, and, even if it _is_ a holiday, I'd appreciate you not kissing him again. Please?" Lisa asked, her tone slightly pleading.

Lily raised an eyebrow. Lisa was asking her nicely not to kiss Lisa's fiancé? What was she, some kind of Stepford wife, who never let anything bother her? Please? Really? She smiled. "I promise you, Lisa, I never want to kiss Rufus passionately again. I only did that night because I had too much Champaign in my system, and William on my mind."

Lisa looked relieved. "Well, good!" She then took Lily's hands in her own from cross the table.

Lily raised an eyebrow again as she looked at Lisa's hands over her own. What she was going, Lily had no idea. But she really wished Lisa would take her hands off of hers. It was making her extremely uncomfortable.

"I want us to be friends, Lily," Lisa began.

_Um, no?_ Lily thought.

"We don't hang out that often," Lisa continued.

_Proof that there is a God!_ Lily thought to herself. She gently pulled her right hand from Lisa's, and downed her iced tea. She was going to order something alcoholic as soon as the waiter came back. She needed it!

"I just think it would be good for us to get along and be friends since your daughter is married to Dan, and I'm going to be married to Dan's father. We're going to have all kinds of family holidays together, and I just think it would be really nice if the in-laws could be friends with the in-laws. You know?" Lisa asked.

Lily pulled her left hand from Lisa's. She had pulled it out gently, having resisted the urge to yank it out. "I'd like that," she said through clenched teeth. She hoped her huge smile didn't look too fake. Then again, Lisa apparently was a ditz who believed anything anyone told her.

"Really? That's great! You know, I was worried you didn't like me. I just kind of got this vibe from you," Lisa said before taking a sip of her Coke.

_Because I don't!_ Instead, Lily said, "Of course I like you! Who wouldn't? You're one of the sweetest people I know, and so perfect for Rufus." _Sweet as in rot your teeth sweet, and perfect as in perfectly wrong._

Lisa smiled, and let out a little gasping noise. She put her hand over her heart, and smiled. "You'r e such a doll, Lily! You know, I really like you too. You're so classy and glamourous! And, from what I've seen of you, you're really nice."

Lily couldn't help but feel she was talking to a twelve-year-old. Lisa was so damed innocent and sweet, it was unnatural. "Thank you." Her cheeks hurt from all the fake grinning she was doing.

The waiter came over to their table with their food then.

"Can I please have a Martini?" Lily asked.

"Of course, Ma'am! I'll get that right away for you," the waiter stated.

"A little early, isn't it?" Lisa asked her.

Lily shrugged. "It's always five o'clock somewhere, right?"

Lisa giggled, and snorted. "Yeah, I guess so!"

Lily smiled politely. _And when being forced to hang out with you, it's _never_ to early_, she silently added.

~Begin Again~

Lisa had been right. Lunch was incredible. Lily made a mental note to come back and eat there another time. Just not with Lisa. Unfortunately, the food was so good that Lily simply couldn't pass up the crème brûlée. This meant, spending an extra fifteen minutes or so with Lisa, but whatever. She figured she had survived lunch, so she could survive dessert as well. It wasn't like Lisa was a bad person. She was a really nice woman. It just seemed to Lily that Lisa was too nice for a city like New York. Lisa was so super sweet, it seemed she came straight from a children's show.

Lily sighed as she washed her hands. She had just used the bathroom, and was now washing her hands, hoping that dessert would be at their table by the time she got back.

She checked her makeup, then, once she was satisfied with the way she looked, she left the restroom, and headed back to the table.

She stopped about a yard away when she saw that Lisa was on the phone. She wondered who it was. It was probably Rufus, she figured.

Being the curious and naturally nosy person Lily was, she decided to sit in the empty booth behind Lisa, and eavesdrop.

"I love you too, Honey! I know! It's been so long! I miss you. When can you come see me? Anytime is good for me as long as it's during the day. Rufus works from ten until six, but he always leaves the house at eight. So, anytime after eight is fine as long as you're gone by six. I know he won't be home any earlier because the shop doesn't close until six, and he is usually a little bit later than six because he has to lock up, then get home."

Lily got as close as she could to the edge of the seat without being seen by Lisa.

"Friday morning? That would be great! Oh, I'm so excited to see you again! It feels like it's been forever! See if you can get an early flight. I can pick up any time after nine. I need time to get ready. Rufus will get suspicious if I get ready before he leaves. I never do because I like to stay in my pajamas, drink my coffee, and watch my morning talk shows before getting ready," Lisa continued.

Lily could not believe her ears! Lisa was going behind Rufus' back? This was too good to be true! She guessed Little Miss Perfect wasn't so perfect after all.

"Okay, well, just call me when you have everything booked so I know for sure when to pick you up... Okay. I love you too. Bye, Love." Lisa ended the call.

Lily quietly and carefully slid out of the booth, walked the opposite way around it, and then walked a half circle around the restaurant, making it look like she had just come from the bathroom. Then, she took her seat in front of Lisa. "Sorry it took so long. The toilet wouldn't flush at first, then I wanted to touch up my makeup."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I had to make a phone call anyway," Lisa said, still looking at her phone for some reason.

"Something important?" Lily asked with fake concern. She sipped her second martini all the while keeping her eyes locked on Lisa.

Lisa shook her head, and put her phone down on the table. "Oh, it was just Rufus. He misses me. He thought I was going to meet him at the gallery, and that we'd have lunch together there. I guess I could have, but I really don't like eating there. Half the time he has to be interrupted to help a customer. Don't get me wrong. I love him, and love that he has this job that he loves. I just wish he'd hire help. He claims he doesn't need help, and that he can run it all himself, but I still think it would be nice to have someone else working there so that he doesn't have to work so much. It would be nice to at least be able to go out for lunch with him once in a while, you know?"

Lily nodded. "I agree! But, you know Rufus. He's as stubborn as can be sometimes."

Lisa nodded as well. "He sure is! He hasn't changed in that sense since the last time I dated him."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Since the last time you dated him?"

Lisa nodded. "Yeah. We dated back when you were with William the first time. I was the last girl he dated before he met Alison. Didn't you know that?"

Lily looked down at the table. "I knew he dated a rockstar named Lisa, but I never put two and two together." She looked up at Lisa. "I guess because I never considered you a rockstar. Just a pop star."

Lisa giggled. "It's all the same to us in the music business. We only dated for a few months. It was before I was even that big."

"Hm. I guess you learn something new every day!" Lily said.

"Yeah," Lisa said with a smile, her hands wrapped around her coffee mug. "I guess you do!"

Lily took another long sip of her martini.

~Begin Again~

"Serena, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel our lunch. I'm just not feeling very well today," Lily lied over the phone.

"What's wrong? It's nothing serious, is it?" Serena asked with worry.

"No, nothing Serious. William looked me over. I just have that bug that's been going around. It's that time of year to catch something or other. Hopefully it's just a twenty-four-hour thing." Lily felt bad for lying to her daughter, but she had very important plans she had to attend to today. Plans that Serena couldn't know about.

"Do you want me to come over and bring you some chicken noodle soup?" Serena asked.

"I appreciate it, Darling, but I really just want to sleep. We have chicken noodle soup here, so I'll just make some later if I get hungry," Lily assured her.

"Are you sure you don't need me to come over?" Serena asked.

"Darling, trust me. I'm just going to be sleeping most of the day. I'd be no fun. William is at work all day, it will be nice to catch up on some much needed sleep. Besides, you know how unpleasant I can be when I'm sick." Lily sniffled for effect.

"True," Serena agreed. "No offense, Mom, but you get _really_ bitchy."

"So it's settled then. You hang out with Blair, or Dan, whomever, and I'll stay home in bed and get the sleep I'm so desperate for," Lily said.

"Well, all right. If you're sure," Serena said, sounding unsure herself.

Lily nodded even though she knew Serena couldn't see her nodding. "I'm a hundred percent sure. We'll reschedule for next week. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. Take care of yourself." Serena sounded worried.

"I will. Goodbye, my Darling." Lily hung up the phone then before Serena could protest any longer.

She sighed, then went to get ready. She had a long day of stalking ahead of her.

~BA~

I know it sounds crazy, but I just _had_ to find out who Lisa had been talking to on the phone at the restaurant. And, in order to do that, I was going to have to campout outside of hers and Rufus' apartment. I'd have to be careful not to be seen by Rufus or Lisa, but I could do it. I had to see if Lisa was cheating on Rufus, and I had to see who it was if so. After all, I cared about Rufus, and he deserved to know if his fiancé was cheating on him.

My plan was to follow Lisa to the airport, then observe her and whomever it was she was picking up there. I'd follow them wherever they went until the guy left, and Rufus came home. I don't care if it was crazy. I was only doing it to help Rufus out. Also, I was curious to see just how wrong about Lisa being sweet and innocent I really was. If that's crazy, then lock me up in the loony bin because I don't want to be sane. My family and friends always come first, and this was about protecting the man I love. In a totally platonic and friendly way of course. It would be ridiculous for anyone to think otherwise.

Rufus is my friend, and the father of one of my children. That meant, like I would for anyone else in my family and group of friends, I was going to make sure he didn't get screwed over by a manipulative little bitch. After all, he had a history of that happening. So, I clearly couldn't let him be attacked by another Ivy Dickens type. He was a very naive and trusting man, and since I was the only one who knew about this possible affair besides Lisa and her mystery man, it was my job to look after him. That was it. Pure and simple. There was absolutely nothing romantic about it. Nothing!

~BA~

Lily switched from one foot to the other. Rufus had just left, and she was hiding around the corner. Once she heard him go down the elevator, she waited for Lisa to leave. She didn't know what time Lisa had to pick up her friend, but she knew it would probably be soon since they were on Rufus' schedule. Her friend had to be gone by the time Rufus came back.

Lily sighed. "Come on!" she said under her breath. She hated waiting around for anybody. In fact, she'd go straight home now if this weren't so important.

After what seemed like forever, but in reality was only five minutes, Lisa left the apartment, locking up after herself, then looking around to make sure no one was watching.

Lily quickly slipped her head away from the corner she was peering out of, and quietly pressed herself flat against the wall. That was close. Lisa had almost seen her.

Once Lily heard the elevator doors opening and closing, and once she heard the sound of the elevator descending, she peered around the corner again. Sure enough, Lisa was gone.

Then, quickly so as not to miss her, Lily took the stairs two at a time down to the first floor. She quickly slipped out the front door without being seen.

She looked around to see if Lisa was anywhere. When Lily didn't see Lisa, she knew Lisa was probably still making her way out of the apartment building.

Lily quickly hailed a cab.

"Where to? The driver asked.

"Just follow that lady once she's in her car," Lily said, pointing to Lisa, who had just exited the building, and was now headed toward her silver BMW.

"I'm going to have to start the meter now," the cab driver informed her. "I don't wait until we're on the move. My time is still being used up."

Lily rolled her eyes. It was rare to find a New York City cab driver who wasn't rude. "Don't worry about it. I have the money. Just make sure you don't lose her." She sighed. Lisa was taking forever and a _day_ to start her car.

Finally, Lisa pulled out of the lot.

The cab driver pulled out moments later, and then began to follow her. "Lucky for you, I have experience when it comes to following people," he said in his thick Brooklyn accent.

Lily smiled politely. She didn't want to know why he had such experience. "That's good."

"I know to stay far enough behind so that they can't tell you're following them, but still stay close enough that you don't lose them. And of course, never keep your headlights on if you're following them at night," the driver stated.

"All good things to know," Lily said, not the slightest bit interested. After all, any idiot knew those things!

"Plus, the traffic in New York City helps a lot too. I mean, it's always so busy here, no one thinks they are being followed! There's always a lot of cars behind them everywhere they go," the driver stated. "I'm Jimmy by the way."

Lily glanced up at him from her iphone, where she had been checking her messages. "Lily," she said, wishing she was in a limo so that she could put a divider up between them.

"Nice to meet you, Lily. So, do you follow people often?" Jimmy asked.

Lily sighed, then looked at him with a polite smile. She wanted to tell him to mind his own business, but she knew that you could capture more bees with honey than vinegar. Or was it flies? Whatever the hell insect it was, it didn't matter. The point was, Jimmy would be more apt to help her if she was nice to him than he would be if she was rude. Blair had once taught her that. "This is my first time, actually."

"So, do you mind me asking why you're following her?" Jimmy asked next.

"It's complicated. But, in short, she is my ex-husband's fiancé, and I think she might be cheating on him. I overheard her on the phone with some guy, whom she made plans to pick up at the airport today. Well, I'm assuming it is a guy from the way she was talking to him. She told him she loved him, and she told him what hours Rufus—said ex-husband of mine and fiancé of hers—would be working. She didn't want Rufus finding out about him," Lily explained.

"Oo! It definitely sounds like she's cheatin'." Jimmy nodded at Lily in the rearview mirror. "You gonna tell your ex-husband?"

Lily nodded. "If I find out for sure that she's cheating on him, then yes! I will."

"Good!" Jimmy said. "A man deserves to know if the woman he's about to marry is a cheater or not. I find cheating absolutely despicable. You know, I caught my first wife cheatin' on me. And then my second wife!"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Really? Both your wives?"

Jimmy nodded. "Yep! I sure know how to pick em, aye?"

Lily looked out the window. "I hear ya! I've had my share of bad men in the past."

"Like this Rufus guy?" Jimmy asked.

Lily met his eyes in the rearview mirror. "No! Rufus was one of the good ones."

"Then why did you two divorce to begin with?" Jimmy asked.

Lily sighed. "Again, it's complicated. When it came down to it, we were too different from each other."

"It happens," Jimmy said. "Did you ever get cheated on?"

Lily nodded. "One time. My husband slept with my sister, and conceived a child with her."

Jimmy winced. "Ouch!"

Lily nodded. "I didn't find out until years later about any of it. We had divorced for other reasons years before I found out. He was a very different man back then."

"Not to pry, but I noticed you said husband as in present tense. Did you remarry him?" Jimmy asked.

Lily smirked. "You've already been prying. Lucky for you, I'm in a talkative mood. In answer to your question, yes. I did remarry him. But, like I said, he's a very different man now. He's changed."

Jimmy laughed. "Lily, don't take offense, but once a cheater, always a cheater. Trust me. I've known my share of cheaters—not just my ex-wives either. I know of several men that cheat once, promise they'll never do it again, then go back to cheating right after as if promises to stop were never made."

"I appreciate your concern, Jimmy, but frankly, you don't know my husband. He's a changed man," Lily insisted.

"Maybe so. But let me tell you, I've yet to see a man who cheats actually change," Jimmy said, shaking his head. "And trust me, I've seen a lot of cheating men in my life."

Lily sighed, and sat back in her seat, turning her attention back to her phone. "Let's just get to the airport. Okay? No more talking."

"Whatever you say. I know, it's just my job to drive you," Jimmy said, making a turn.

"Exactly! Thanks for understanding," Lily said, not looking up from her phone. She had had enough of people telling her that William hadn't changed. He had. And it was just too damn bad if people didn't like that she had remarried William. Too damned bad.

~Begin Again~

"Could you be any sexier?" William asked as Cassidy bent down to pick up a pen she had dropped. She was walking around in only a tiny, flimsy black bra that barely covered her breasts, and a black thong to go with it. They had finished having sex, and then she put her under garments back on, but decided to leave her clothes off. She didn't like "feeling confined," as she had put it. Now, she was making out a grocery list, but had dropped her pen. William had no doubt she had dropped in on purpose just to get him going. And get him going, she certainly had.

She stood back up, and smiled over her shoulder at him. "What's the matter? Am I making you hot?" She ran her hands up her bare backside. Well, bare other than the thong, which was very close in width to dental floss. In fact, it might as well have been not even there. She then pretended like she was going to take her bra off. It latched (and unlatched) in the front. "Shall I?" she asked over her shoulder.

William licked his lips from the bed, where he was still lying. "Please, allow me." He sat up, then crawled across the bed toward her.

Cassidy grinned big, and walked over to the foot of the bed, facing him now.

"Mm, did I tell you how much I love that bra?" he asked her. It was so flimsy, if it moved just a centimeter one way or another, at least one of her nipples would be exposed. He knew that that was exactly how she wanted the bra to be.

Cassidy laughed. "A few times. Now hurry up! I'm getting bored."

William took her bra clasp between his teeth, and undid it with his teeth, causing her bra to fly open, and display her perky breasts, which clearly showed her own arousal was as alive as his was. The best part was, they were real. Oh so real.

He placed his hands over them to fondle them.

"Did I say you could touch them?" Cassidy asked.

"No, but I know you wanted me to just as much as I wanted to. But, if you'd rather, I can take my hands off you right now, and you can go back to planning what you have to get for dinner tonight." William nuzzled his nose against her neck, his voice taking on a seductive tone to it. "Or, if you want me to keep my hands on you, or any other part of your body, I have a half hour left of my lunch break before I have to get back to the hospital. This should give us a good fifteen minutes to have a little fun, which you know I am more than capable of accomplishing with you."

Cassidy smirked. "You know what? You're lucky you're so great in bed. Screw the grocery list for now!" She tossed both the pen, and the grocery list behind her.

"Mm, I'd rather screw you!" William said, pulling her down onto the bed, and pinning her beneath him.

Cassidy squealed with delight, and grinned up at him. "Then get to it, Doctor Boy! After all, as you pointed out, we only have fifteen minutes."

William licked his lips as he hungrily surveyed Cassidy's body. It was hard to stop looking at it! "Mm... Your wish...is my command." He then slowly slid her thong off, all the while attacking her nipples lips his tongue and lips. _Man_ how he loved being William van der Woodsen! It was good to be him.

~Begin Again~

"All right! We're here!" Jimmy said, pulling into the airport. "Shall I follow her to the parking garage?"

"Yes, please," Lily said. There was no way she'd find Lisa if she didn't follow her right from the parking garage. JFK was a huge airport.

Lisa parked her car in a space on the second level of parking.

Lily looked at the meter, and handed Jimmy twice the amount. "There's more where that came from if you wait."

"I'll have to restart the meter while I while I'm waiting for you." Jimmy warned her. "Like I said, my time is still being used up."

Lily sighed impatiently. "Like_ I_ said, there's more where that money I just gave you comes from."

"In that case..." Jimmy trailed off as he pulled into a parking space.

"I shouldn't be longer than twenty minutes!" Lily said, exiting the taxi.

She found Lisa, then followed her out of the parking garage, staying in the shadows, and taking the stairs while Lisa too the elevator.

By the time, she got tot he bottom of the stairs, Lisa was a good yard ahead of her.

Lily walked fast, but stayed behind far enough for Lisa not to notice her.

She followed Lisa to a gate.

Lisa stood there waiting as people started piling out.

Lily sat in a seat a few feet away, watching and waiting.

Everyone kept piling out, and for a moment, Lily thought that maybe Lisa's mystery guy wasn't showing up. Then, there he was. He was of average height, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and gorgeous!

Lisa squealed with excitement.

He grinned, and dropped his bag.

They then embraced, and kissed hard on the lips.

"Woah!" Lily said under her breath. What do you know? Lisa really _was_ cheating on Rufus! At least, from the look of the kiss she was.

Lisa and the mystery guy were smiling and chatting, his bag still on the floor. People were having to walk around them.

They hugged and kissed once more before he picked up his bag, and began walking toward the luggage claim with her, hand-in-hand.

Lily shot out of her seat, and began to follow them. She was 90 percent sure that something was going on between them, but she had to be a hundred percent sure before she told Rufus anything. So, if she had to follow them all day to find out for sure if Lisa was cheating on Rufus with his guy, she would. After all, she couldn't let Rufus fall prey to another lying, manipulative woman. Could she? She couldn't, and she wouldn't. It simply just wasn't who she was to let something like this go. After all, she was Lily van der Woodsen, and Lily van der Woodsen didn't let anyone screw her, her family, or her friends over. Especially not lying, manipulative little whores.

~Begin Again~

It was hard to tell if Lisa and Mystery Man were cheating.

Lily had thought she was going to get confirmation for sure when they arrived at a hotel. She had followed them in, and stayed hidden as they confirmed a reservation they had under his name. Lily had hidden in the gift shop, which was right near the front desk, so she could hear clear enough that his name was Mikey.

Lily smirked. Mikey? Like the cereal kid from years ago? This guy looked like he was about forty-five. She found it hilarious that he was still going by a little kid's name. Mikey. Seriously?

They got their room. Thankfully, Lily had heard that their room number was 535, so she didn't have to worry about following so closely behind them.

She looked around the gift shop a bit to give them time to get up there, then she headed up to their room.

They hadn't shut the door tightly, which Lily found odd. She was about to go listen in, but then the door starred to open, and she quickly darted around the corner, just barely getting hidden before Mikey and Lisa emerged. Thankfully, Mikey had emerged first. It gave her a couple extra seconds to get around the corner. She was also thankful that the corner happened to be right next to their room, for their room was the last one on that side of the floor. Had she had to run all the way down the hallway, she didn't know if she'd had made it unseen.

They headed down the elevator.

She knew they must be leaving the hotel now, so she took the stairwell, and surprisingly made it down before they did.

She hopped into Jimmy's cab, and she and Jimmy waited for Lisa and Mikey to come out. When they did, Jimmy followed Lisa's car once again.

"This is kind of fun, actually! They weren't in the hotel for long. Maybe they are just friends," Jimmy suggested.

"From the way they kissed at the airport, I doubt it. They just have other plans is all," Lily stated.

They followed Lisa and Mikey until Lisa and Mikey parked outside of a restaurant. Then, Lisa and Mikey existed the car, and headed into the restaurant.

"Great!" Lily said with a sigh. "Well, I guess that's it for you and I. I'll just hail another cab after lunch. I can't make you wait while they eat."

"But I have to find out if they're cheating!" Jimmy said. "I'm entitled to a lunch break." He nodded toward Lily. "Give me what you owe me now, and I'll start the meter up again after we eat."

Lily shrugged. "All right." She looked at the meter, and handed Jimmy his money with tip.

Jimmy them parked, then they both headed into the restaurant.

~Begin Again~

Lunch had been pretty uneventful. Lily and Jimmy hadn't been seated very close to Lisa and Mikey. The restaurant was pretty busy. In fact, they had had to wait outside of the restaurant, and peer into the window until they saw Lisa and Mikey being seated before they came in themselves.

Lily and Jimmy were seated within eyesight of Lisa and Mikey, but unfortunately, not earshot. Heck, even the view wasn't that close. The closest thing to cheating they had seen was them holding hands briefly over the table once, and then talking, smiling, and laughing for most of their time there.

Now, they were back in the cab, following Lisa's car.

They hadn't driven far before Lisa pulled into a sex shop.

"A sex shop? Really?" Lily asked out loud. She leaned forward in her seat, and was peering between the driver and passenger seats up front so that she could look through the windshield.

Jimmy looked back at her. "Do you need any more proof?"

"I just can't believe Little Miss Perfect is shopping at a sex store," Lily said in shock.

Jimmy snorted. "With a man that's not her fiancé!"

Lily started to open the car door once Lisa and Mikey had entered the shop.

"Where are you going?" Jimmy asked her.

"I'm going in to see what they buy of course!" Lily said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Haven't you ever been in a sex shop?" Jimmy asked her.

"Maybe when I was a teenager, or in my early twenties. Why?" Lily asked, pausing from getting out.

"They're not exactly the size stores where you can go by unnoticed by people. They're not a closet, but they're certainly not a department store either," Jimmy stated.

Lily sighed. She hadn't thought about that. She sat back in her seat, her arms crossed over her chest. "Well, how am I supposed to know what they bought?"

"I'd offer to go in and look, but I'd be embarrassed," Jimmy stated.

Lily raised an eyebrow at him, and smirked. "You don't strike me as the type of guy to be embarrassed over a store like that."

"Well, I am, all right? Wouldn't _you_ be embarrassed to go in there?" Jimmy asked.

Lily shrugged. "I guess so, if I wasn't so driven to find out what Lisa and Mikey are getting in there. But men are usually more bold when it comes to anything sexual."

Jimmy laughed. "Not all of us. Just like there are some women who never get embarrassed about anything sexual."

Lily thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Fair enough."

They waited without talking for the next five minutes. Jimmy was listening to some radio talk show, and Lily was checking messages on her phone again.

"There they are!" Jimmy said suddenly. He turned off the radio.

Lily looked up from her phone. Sure enough, there was Lisa and Mikey coming out of the store, Mikey holding a brown paper bag.

Lily sighed. "Oh, if only sex shops had clear bags instead of paper bags!"

Jimmy snorted. "That'll be the day! Follow them still?"

"Of course!" Lily said.

So, as soon as Lisa pulled out of the parking lot, Jimmy followed behind her a good five feet.

Lily wondered where they could be headed now. Though, she had a pretty good idea where.

~Begin Again~

They ended up at Rufus's (now Lisa's as well) apartment.

"Is this her place?" Jimmy asked.

Lily nodded. "Sure is!"

"And that Rufus guy lives with her?" Jimmy asked next.

"_She_ lives with _him_," Lily corrected him.

Lisa parked her car, then headed into the apartment complex with Mikey.

"That's harsh! Cheating on her fiancé in his own bed!" Jimmy said, making a clicking sound with his tongue, and shaking his head.

"That is if she is cheating for sure," Lily said. She opened the cab door.

"You're going in there? Look, I think it's obvious she's cheatin'," Jimmy stated.

"I have to be sure if I'm going to tell Rufus," Lily said.

Jimmy sighed. "Fine, but I'm going with you."

"Whatever," Lily said.

Jimmy had already parked, so he shut off the engine, got out of the cab, and locked the doors. Then, he followed Lily into the apartment complex.

Lily led them up the stairs.

"These stairs are torture! How many flights are left?" Jimmy asked out of breath.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Quit complaining! We can't be seen! Besides, I'm the one walking up the stairs in heels!"

"Why on earth would you wear heels to stalk anyway?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm Lily van der Woodsen. I have to look good," Lily said, her head held high.

"Well, _I_ never heard of you before," Jimmy stated.

Lily chose to ignore that last comment.

They finally arrived on the correct floor, and a moment later, they were outside of Rufus' and Lisa's apartment.

Lily pressed her ear against the door. She could hear voices, proving Lisa and Mikey were in there. However, the door was so thick, she couldn't clearly hear anything they were saying.

"Let me take a listen!" Jimmy whispered, bumping Lily over as he pressed his own ear to the door.

"Hey! Rude much?" Lily whisper snapped.

Jimmy was the one to ignore her this time.

They stayed there for five minutes, trying to listen in.

"I don't think we're gonna hear anything. Let's just go. I think it's pretty obvious they're cheatin'," Jimmy whispered.

"Sh! Listen!" Lily whisper scolded. Then more gently, "I think I hear something."

"I think you're right," Jimmy whispered back.

They both pressed their ears harder against the door.

Suddenly, the unmistakable sounds of sex were filling their ears. In fact, it was getting quite loud.

They looked at each other.

"Do you still need more proof?" Jimmy asked.

Lily shook her head.

Jimmy sighed. He looked at his watch. "Well, we've been stalking them for about three and a half hours. Are you finally ready to go home? Where do you live? I'll drop you off."

Lily nodded. She told Jimmy where she lived, and then they headed down the elevator, out of the apartment complex, and into the cab.

"So, are you gonna tell Rufus his fiancé is cheating on him?" Jimmy asked.

Lily sighed. "I'm gonna have to. I can't let him marry her knowing what I know."

"When are you gonna tell him?" Jimmy asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I honestly don't know."

"You better do it soon before things get worse," Jimmy told her.

Lily sighed. "That I do know."

~BA~

I didn't know how to feel. In one way, I was happy that I finally had something that would break Rufus and Lisa up. On the other hand, by telling Rufus, I was going to break his heart. I may not be married to him anymore, but I obviously still loved him and cared about him. He had to know. I couldn't keep this from him. But I wasn't getting the satisfaction I had originally thought I'd get by finding out Lisa's cheating on him. And now, I have to be the one to break it to him. I have to be the one to let him know that the woman he loves is cheating on him. Or, a worse way of putting it, that the woman he was going to marry is cheating on him. In his own apartment. In his own bed. I guess I hadn't really thought this whole thing through. But at least now I knew, and soon, he would know too.

~BA~

"Well, here we are. Nice place! I bet this place costs you a fortune!" Jimmy said with a whistle.

"It does. Here's your money and tip. Thanks for taking me around today," Lily said, hanging him the money.

"Thanks for the money, and thanks for the experience. I can tell you, it's the most fun I've ever had cab drivin' and I've been cab drivin' for twenty years now," Jimmy said.

Lily grinned.

"Hey, here's my card in case you ever need a stalking buddy again, or a ride somewhere. Heck, even if you just need a friend, you can call me," Jimmy said, handing Lily his business card.

Lily took the card from him. "Thank you. I will. Goodbye, for now Jimmy."

"Goodbye, Lily," Jimmy said.

Lily closed the door, then headed into her apartment as Jimmy sped off.

As soon as the elevator doors opened to her apartment, she set her purse down on the island, then plopped herself down onto the couch. Well, she knew what she had to do. She had to tell Rufus about Lisa cheating on him. The question was, how? He could get angry with her and accuse her of lying, she knew. But hopefully their twenty-five plus years of history would be enough for him to believe her. After all, there was no way in hell Lily was going to let another little lying, manipulative, whoring bitch get the best of Rufus again. She had let it happen once before with Ivy, and she was not about to make the same mistake again, even if it _did_ break his heart when she told him.

She sighed, and headed to the fridge. She needed some wine, and then a warm bubble bath to both calm her nerves, and hopefully give her the courage to do what she had to do.


	6. Closing Doors

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 6: Closing Doors**_

Lily paced outside of Rufus' gallery. She sighed. She knew she had to tell him about his fiancé cheating on him. She had no choice. He deserved to know. She just hoped he wouldn't pull a "shoot the messenger" on her.

She took a deep breath, then slowly let it out before heading into the gallery.

Rufus was currently with a customer. "Hey, Lil. I'll be with you as soon as I'm finished with this customer," he said kindly to her.

"Take your time," Lily said with a smile before sitting down on the nearest bench, and waiting for him to finish.

It took about five minutes for Rufus to be done helping the man find the perfect painting, and then of course helping the man checkout. The man had wanted the painting delivered, so of course that took more time as well.

Finally, the man left, and Rufus was able to head over to Lily.

He sat down beside her, and playfully nudged her with his arm. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I wish I could say it was just for a friendly visit, but there's really something important I have to tell you," Lily said.

"That sounds like it's not going to be something I like," Rufus said with a sigh.

Lily shook her head. "You're not going to like it. I can guarantee it."

Rufus looked at her, his eyes boring into hers. "It's William, isn't it? What did he do to you?" He sounded angry.

Lily shook her head. "No, it's not William! This has nothing to do with William. He didn't do anything to me." She was a little annoyed that he was always blaming William for something. Though, she supposed it was kind of sweet he had taken on a protective demeanor when he thought William had done something to her.

"Well, then what's this about, then?" he asked.

"It's about Lisa," Lily began.

Rufus really did sound angry this time, though Lily knew it was now for a different reason.

He stood up. "Not again, Lily! Are you really still trying to convince me that Lisa isn't right for me? Well, you can save your breath! There's nothing you can do or say that would make me believe she isn't right for me. In fact, she is absolutely perfect for me! I really don't appreciate you always trying to—"

"Rufus, she's cheating on you!" Lily blurted, standing up. She hadn't meant to interrupt him, but she had to get it out before she lost her nerve.

Rufus shut up immediately. "Excuse me?" he asked, still sounding angry.

"She's cheating on you," Lily repeated. "I'm sure of it!"

Rufus clenched his fists and unclenched them. "You better have proof to back this up if you're going to go making accusations like that. You also better start at the beginning."

"You may want to sit down for this," Lily told him.

"Just tell me!" Rufus snapped.

"Okay, then _I'll_ sit down," Lily said, sitting back down on the bench. "I guess I'll start at the beginning, like you said to."

Rufus nodded. "That would be a good idea."

Lily sighed, and then began her story, starting from Lisa's invite/inviting herself to lunch with her.

Rufus listened without interrupting while Lily explained the whole story.

"And, after we heard the sounds of them having sex, we left. Jimmy took me home, and that was that," Lily finished.

"I can't believe you spend the day stalking Lisa instead of confronting her about what you heard, or at least coming to me right away!" Rufus said.

"I didn't think Lisa would be truthful with me. I mean, chances are, if she was cheating on you, she wasn't going to want to tell _me_ about it," Lily explained.

"Why couldn't you have gone to _me_ then?" Rufus asked.

"I wanted to be sure! There was no use in telling you if I wasn't a hundred percent sure she was cheating on you. I wasn't going to make an ass out of myself!" Lily stated.

"Yeah, well, you can't just accuse Lisa of something as serious as cheating without talking to her about it first. She deserves to know what you're accusing her of," Rufus stated.

"I figured you needed to know first," Lily told him.

Rufus put his coat on, and wrote down something on a piece of paper at the front desk. After a moment, he taped it on the closed side of the sign, then flung the sign over so that the closed side was facing the outward part of the door's window. He then turned back to Lily, and nodded toward the door. "Let's go. I said I'd be back by one thirty. That only gives us an hour." He nodded toward the sign he had put on the door.

Lily grabbed her purse, and headed toward the door. She stopped beside Rufus. "Where are we going?"

"We're going back to my place so you can confront Lisa with these things you're accusing her of," he said simply.

Lily blushed. "Shouldn't this be a discussion between the two of you?"

Rufus shook his head. "Your'e the one who's accusing her. You need to be the one to tell her what you're accusing her of."

Lily sighed, and held her head up high. Confronting Lisa wasn't high on her list of things she wanted to do, but if that's what it took for Rufus to see what a lying, manipulating, whoring slut Lisa was, then fine. She'd confront her. Actually, she wanted to tell her off for hurting Rufus anyway. Then, after Rufus kicked Lisa out of his apartment and his life, and once Rufus thanked Lily for telling him the truth, they could all go back to normal. That is as normal as things could get between them. Because, in reality, things were never really a hundred percent normal between her and Rufus. But at least she'd never have to deal with Lisa again after today!

Lily smiled to herself as she and Rufus headed toward the loft. Lily was suddenly looking forward to it.

~Begin Again~

When they got to the loft, Lily couldn't believe her luck! There sat Mikey and Lisa on the couch, cuddled up together with mugs of hot chocolate in their free hands, and their heads resting against the other's as they watched something on the travel channel. It was currently showing the top ten beaches in the world. When they heard the loft door slide open, they both looked over at the door in shock, then pulled apart when they saw who it was.

"Rufus!" Lisa said in surprise. She set her mug down on the coffee table, and stood up. "What are you doing home so early? With Lily?" She sounded both shocked and nervous.

_ The travel channel? Planing their getaway?_ Lily wondered. "That's the guy!" she said proudly as she pointed to Mikey. "That's the guy she's been cheating with." _Gotcha, bitch!_

"Mikey? Rufus asked, ignoring Lisa's question. "What are you doing here? Oh my gosh, Mikey!" He had a huge grin on his face, and practically sprinted over to Mikey.

Mikey stood up, and smiled sheepishly. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

"Well, I'm surprised!" Rufus said. "It's so good to see you again, Buddy!" He opened his arms for a hug.

Mikey grinned. "You too." He hugged Rufus tightly, and pat his back. "I missed you, my Friend."

"I missed you too," Rufus said, hugging him for just a moment longer before letting him go.

Lily didn't get it. They were hugging. They knew each other. So, Lisa was cheating on Rufus with a friend of his?

"I know you've been saying for a while now how you miss Mikey, and wished you had never lost touch with him. So, it took a while, but I was finally able to locate him. It was a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend type of thing," Lisa explained.

"She means it too. She went through a lot of friends to find me. She ended up finding me through one of my ex lovers," Mikey explained with a grin. He placed his arm around Lisa.

Rufus was grinning. "I have the best fiancé in the world! First she finds me this amazing painting I've been looking for for years, then she finds me my good friend from back in the day!"

"What's this about me cheating?" Lisa asked Lily suddenly, as if she had just remembered she was there.

Lily swallowed hard as all eyes were suddenly on her. "I heard you on the phone with him at the restaurant. It sounded to me like you were sneaking around behind Rufus' back."

"I was not! I had found Mikey, who used to be Rufus' good friend back when he and I dated the first time. They were inseparable for a while, then Rufus and I broke up, Rufus met and married Alison," Lisa began.

"And I fell in love with whom I thought was the love of my life at the time, we moved to London to be together. After that, Rufus and I just kind of lost touch," Mikey explained. Sadly, I lost touch with Lisa too."

"Our lives all got so busy at once," Lisa added. "I wanted to bring Mikey down to surprise Rufus. He's living in California now, and I knew Rufus was looking for someone to be a groom's man. I thought what better man than Mikey if I could find him. I did. I was waiting for the right time to surprise Rufus with him. Mikey and I were gonna plan this big engagement party, and then he would show up and surprise Rufus."

"I'm kind of like her wedding present to you," Mikey said to Rufus, nodding at Lisa. "That sounds bad," he then said with a blush and a laugh.

Rufus laughed. "I know what you mean!"

"But you said I love you to each other. And you held hands!" Lily wasn't yet convinced this was what Lisa said it was.

Lisa wrapped an arm around Mikey's waist. "Of course we did! What's so wrong about that?"

Mikey had his arm wrapped around her too. "You can love someone and show affection toward them without it being in a romantic sense!" he added.

"Well, I saw you coming out of a sex shop together, and then I heard you guys having sex here after!" Lily exclaimed. Lisa was lying, and it was ticking her off!

Lisa blushed, then looked up at Mikey, who was smiling.

Mikey's smile soon turned into a smirk, then a snort. Then, finally, it turned into full on fit of laughter.

It wasn't long before Lisa was laughing as well.

"Why are you laughing? You find cheating on Rufus funny?" Lily snapped.

"Lil..." Rufus warned, a hand over her back.

"Rufus, no! Don't 'Lil' me, like I need to calm down. Why do you always let these women screw you over a hundred times before you finally learn the hard way that you were wrong about them?" Lily honestly couldn't believe how naïve Rufus was being right now.

"The only one who's wrong is _you_, Lily," Lisa stated. "I'm embarrassed to say this, but I was afraid I was boring when it came to the sexual part of mine and Rufus' relationship. I've only ever been with a couple other guys when I wasn't with Rufus. I didn't date much before I dated Rufus. I know he doesn't complain now, but I still worried I wouldn't be good enough for him in that department once we got married. I was afraid he'd eventually tire of the same old thing."

"I never would! You're amazing. Are you kidding me? You don't have to worry about a thing!" Rufus assured Lisa.

"So you're practicing with Mikey? Is that it?" Lily asked.

Lisa shot her a look. "No, Lily, it's not it. Mikey suggested we rent a sex tape. That way I could watch and observe. That is what we were getting at the sex shop—the sex tape. And the sex sounds you heard were from the tape that he and I were watching."

Mikey nodded. "It's all true," he confirmed. "I only watched it with her because the guy who is in it is hot. Also, who couldn't use a little help in that department? Of course I'll have to tweak it to fit my situation better, but it shouldn't be too difficult!" Mikey said with a wink.

"Your situation?" Lily asked him, an eyebrow raised.

"I'm gay," Mikey explained. "Gayer than that Kurt kid from _Glee_. So you see, Lily, even if Lisa and I were the type of people to have affairs, which we certainly are not, it wouldn't be with each other. She just doesn't have the right kind of equipment for me."

"Anything else?" Lisa asked Lily, her arms crossed over her chest.

Lily felt her cheeks flush hot. She knew they must be covered in red from all the blushing she was doing. She was so embarrassed, and rarely did she ever get embarrassed. "I guess that pretty much covers everything," she said.

"How did you know all of this anyway? Did you follow me?" Lisa asked.

Lily nodded.

"For how long?" Lisa asked.

Lily sighed. "From when you left for the airport until you watched the sex tape."

"Lily, I think you owe her an apology. Mikey too while you're at it," Rufus said.

Lily licked her lips. She had already made a major ass out of herself. She knew not apologizing would only make it worse, so she apologized.

She turned to Lisa. "I'm really sorry I followed you, and accused you of cheating. I should have come to you right away instead of going behind your back and following you like a stalker."

"And?" Lisa raised an eyebrow, and tapped her foot impatiently.

Lily sighed. "And I'm sorry for going to Rufus about it and not you. I just figured you'd lie to me. I really am sorry I accused you of cheating. It was wrong of me." She then turned to Mikey. "I'm sorry I followed you around and accused your friend and you of cheating. It was a stupid thing for me to do."

"You're right, it was," Mikey said to her. He sighed. "But I'm glad you got Rufus' back. You thought he was cheating, so you did what you thought was best. Just next time maybe you should talk to Lisa or whomever it is you're suspicious of before you go crying to Rufus, or anyone else, all right?"

Lily nodded. "Trust me, I've learned my lesson."

Mikey nodded. "Then, good! I forgive you. I can't speak for Lisa though."

Lily turned to Lisa.

Lisa smiled. "As long as you learned your lesson, I forgive you. I probably would have gone straight to my friend too instead of their spouse if I thought their spouse was cheating on them. But seriously, no more following me, all right? It's kind of creepy." She grinned as if the last part had been simply teasing.

Lily knew Lisa wasn't just teasing. "Trust me, I'm retiring from the stalking business. I learned my lesson, and have no intention of making an ass out of myself ever again."

"Well, then, I forgive you." Lisa surprised Lily by hugging her. "I'm glad you're protective of Rufus. You're a good friend to him."

Lily hugged her back. "Thanks for forgiving me."

When they broke the hug, Rufus spoke up. "I'll walk you out. I have to get back to the gallery anyway." He then pulled Lisa close, and kissed her passionately.

Lily looked away. She had a feeling he was doing that for her benefit more than Lisa's.

Lisa grinned at him, and gently stroked his cheek once they had broken the kiss. "I'll see you tonight. The three of us can go out to dinner together."

"Sounds like a plan!" Rufus said. He then hugged Mikey, and pat his back. "See you tonight, Buddy!"

"See you tonight!" Mikey agreed, patting his friend's back in return.

Lily headed out first. She was feeling so many emotions at once. There was embarrassment of course, disappointment that she had been wrong and that Lisa would still be in Rufus' life, and even a little anger and resentment that Lisa had been so super sweet and understanding as usual. Now she was left looking like an ass while Lisa was left looking like the best fiancé ever. Life wasn't fair.

They stepped into the elevator in silence. They were the only two on the elevator. Once the elevator started to descend, that's when Rufus gave her an ear full.

"I hope this taught you a lesson. Now, I know you were trying to protect me, and I appreciate that, but Lily, this has got to stop. I don't want to hear anything else negative about Lisa. If you think she's betraying me, oh well. You're wrong. If not, then I'll find out eventually. Won't I? But I know there is nothing wrong with Lisa. She is a kind, sweet, and loving woman, and I consider myself the luckiest guy on earth to be marrying her. So, if you say anything more against her, you and I aren't going to be on very good terms anymore. In fact, I don't think I'll even be able to have you in my life anymore. Do I make myself clear?" Rufus asked her sternly.

"Crystal," Lily said, keeping her tone even. She would not cry in front of Rufus. There was no way in hell.

"Good!" Rufus gave her a hug. "I don't want to be on the outs with you, Lily. I care about you deeply, but you and I are not a couple anymore. I'm no longer your responsibility. All right?"

Lily nodded. "Of course! Just as I'm not yours."

Rufus nodded. "Exactly! I'm glad we can both agree on this."

The doors opened, and he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you around." He then left the elevator, and then the apartment, heading right toward the gallery.

Lily left the apartment, and took a cab home, thankful that it was in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, she didn't have a rock to crawl under at home, so she'd have to settle for crawling under the covers. She was just glad that William was working. She couldn't bear to let him know what she had done. He'd take it the wrong way. He'd think she did it because she still had feelings for Rufus when in reality, she so did not. Also, she had already made an ass of herself more than she cared to do in a lifetime. The last thing she needed to do was make an ass out of herself in front of William as well. No thank you!

~Begin Again~

"I'm really sorry you two had to be accused of cheating," Rufus said to Lisa and Mikey as the three of them ate dinner together that night.

Mikey grinned at him. "That's okay! No harm done. Hey, it gave me a good laugh."

Lisa nodded. "It's not a big deal. She just hurt my feelings a bit, accusing me of something like cheating on you. I would never cheat on you! Honestly, do I give off that vibe?"

Rufus shook his head. "Honey, don't even worry about it. Lily is just being Lily. I know you'd never cheat on me, and that's all that matters."

Lisa shook her head. "Still, I just wanted so much for her to like me, but it seems like no matter how nice I am to her, or what I do, it's never enough!"

Rufus pushed his food around his plate with his fork. Lily rarely likes _anybody_. You can't take it personally. I mean, she doesn't have any friends outside of Eleanor. What's _that_ tell you? No one is ever good enough for her." He took a bite of his food.

Lisa sighed. "Still, there _are_ people she is fond of, and I want to be one of them. I don't want family get togethers to be weird. I mean, you and I will be married soon, and your son is married to her daughter. I just think it would be nice for Lily and I to get along."

"Well, then, keep trying. Lily's not a _total_ bitch. I know, it's hard to believe, but she's not. I'm sure once she sees how hard you're trying to be her friend, she'll give a little. After all, you've done nothing wrong. She has absolutely no reason to hate you," Rufus assured her.

"I don't think that she likes that I'm marrying you," Lisa said simply.

"She's happily married to William. Trust me, Lees, she doesn't care," Rufus stated just as simply.

"Maybe she's the type of woman that doesn't want a certain man—said man being you in this case—but she doesn't want anyone else to be with him either," Mikey chimed in.

Rufus shrugged. "With Lily, who knows? But I'm a hundred percent sure she has no feelings for me. I think she's just over protective when it comes to her friends and family. Just ask her children."

"I just worry you're going to let her change your mind about me," Lisa said to Rufus.

Rufus set his fork down, and took her hands in his from across the table. He looked into her eyes. "Trust me, Lily. There is not a person on this earth who could ever turn me away from you. Especially not Lily! You are the best thing that ever happened to me, and I am never going to let you go. I know a good thing when I have it, and you're beyond a good thing!" He smiled and winked at her.

She smiled back and him, and leaned across the table to kiss his lips. "I feel the same way about you!" She then sat back in her chair, looking content. "I'm going to keep trying to be her friend. Hopefully she'll come around."

"I'm sure she will," Rufus said. Though, deep down, he knew that though Lily might tolerate Lisa now that he scolded her about Lisa, Lily would never want to become BFFs with her. However, he hoped that she would at least be civil to Lisa when they were together. Otherwise, he might have to cut Lily out of his life for Lisa's sake. And, to be perfectly honest, he really didn't want to have to do that.

~Begin Again~

William came home, and saw Lily sitting on the couch, looking bummed out. He draped his coat over a chair, and sat down next to her. He wrapped an arm around her, and kissed her cheek. "Why are you sitting here looking like your best friend just died?"

She looked up at him. "Because I got tired of hiding underneath the covers in bed."

William raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Huh?"

Lily sighed. "I wasn't going to tell you this because I was afraid you'd take my reason for doing it all wrong."

William wasn't worried. He knew Lily was always more dramatic about things than she really needed to be. "Tell me what it is, and I promise to be understanding."

Lily sighed. "Even if it has to do with Rufus?"

William did start to worry a little now. "What about Rufus?" he asked, it coming out colder than he planned on it coming out, but still about as cold as he knew it should come out.

Again, Lily sighed. "Don't worry, I didn't kiss him again, if that's what you're thinking. To make a long story short, I had gone to lunch with Lisa earlier in the week, and I heard her on the phone with another guy. From the sounds of it, she was having an affair. They didn't want Rufus to know about his visit, and exchanged I love yous."

William raised an eyebrow, more intrigued than angry now. "Do you think she really is cheating on Rufus?"

Lily nodded. "It sounded like it! I wanted to be sure before I told Rufus. I had to tell him if she was cheating on him. I know that Rufus and I are no longer together anymore, but he's still my friend, not to mention the father of one of my children. I figured he had the right to know if his fiancé was cheating on him."

"So, you had to be sure. Did you become sure?" William asked, hanging on her every word.

Lily winced. "About that... I heard her planning to pick him up from the airport on Friday morning. So, come Friday morning, I headed over to her place, and waited for her to come out. When she did, I hopped in a taxi, and followed her all day long. I followed her to the airport, to a hotel to drop her friend's stuff off, to a restaurant so they could eat lunch, to a sex shop that they stopped at, and then finally back to Rufus' apartment."

William laughed. "They went to a sex shop? Did you go in?"

Lily shook her head. "No. Jimmy said they'd see me if I did."

"Who's Jimmy?" William asked.

"The cab driver that stalked all day with me," Lily said with a blush as she looked away in embarrassment.

William burst out laughing. "You befriended a cab driver to help you stalk Lisa and her friend?"

Lily looked at him. "He was really nice! Besides, I can use more friends. I only have Eleanor now."

"So, did you see anything suspicious all day besides the sex shop? Did they end up buying anything?" William asked.

Lily shook her head. "Nothing more suspicious than hand holding and laughing together. But, they did buy something! And when I got to Rufus' apartment, I listened in. Rufus was working all day, so I knew they'd be alone. I heard them having sex, and I left."

"So, did you tell Rufus?" William asked, shocked and amused all at the same time.

Lily nodded. "I told him earlier today at the gallery."

"And what did he say?" William asked, biting on the knuckle of his right index finger in anticipation. This was too good!

"He brought me to the apartment so that I could confront Lisa to her face. He told me I should have done that to begin with," Lily said with a sigh.

"She'd just lie about it," William stated.

Lily nodded. "I know, right? But, I wanted to tell her off anyway. So, I went over there with him, and she was there on the couch, holding hands with Mikey—said friend—and watching a travel program. I told Rufus that that is who she is cheating with."

"Then what happened? Just tell me already!" William was having a blast listening about this.

Lily looked away. "I'm embarrassed to say."

"Tell me!" William pressed, grinning so wide he was beginning to look a bit like The Joker. Either that or the Cheshire Cat.

Lily sighed, then looked at him as she told him the story of how everything had a logical explanation.

When she finished, William couldn't do anything but laugh hysterically. "You thought you were doing something good, and that Lisa was going to end up looking like a tramp, and all that happened was she came out looking like a rose, and you came out looking like a Jack ass! That is hysterical!" He was slapping his thighs, and laughing so hard, he had tears streaming down his cheeks.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah! Laugh it up! This is another reason I wasn't going to tell you."

William managed to stop the laughter, but his eyes were still wet with his tears from laughing so hard. He placed a hand over Lily's shoulder. "I'm sorry, my Love. I shouldn't laugh. I'm sure Rufus knows he's got a good friend in you, looking out for him like that. Even though you ended up being dead wrong, at least your heart was in the right place. You were just trying to protect Rufus, and I'm sure he knows that." Honestly, he didn't like that Lily was so protective over Rufus, but she had suffered enough without giving her crap about it.

"Yeah, well, he was a little miffed at me. He said he understood why I did it, but he also said that I would be out of his life if I ever tried to discredit Lisa again. I learned my lesson though." Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "From now on, I'm butting out of other people's business."

William smirked. "Come on! Lily van der Woodsen staying out of other people's business? I find _that_ hard to believe!"

Lily gently swatted his arm. "I mean it! Whenever I try to protect someone, they just end up getting angry in the end, so no more! I don't care if I actually catch Lisa in bed with another man, I won't tell Rufus. It will be _his_ problem—not mine."

William smirked. "Really?"

Lily crossed her arms over her chest as she nodded. "Really! But, apparently, I'm not going to have to worry about it anyway. Lisa is too perfect to ever do something like that. Rufus is going to marry her, and that is that!"

"You sound like you don't like Lisa," William stated.

Lily shook her head. "I don't really. She's too much of a goody-goody. She acts so sweet and innocent. It's sickening! But I guess that's the kind of girl Rufus wants. He never did let me be myself."

"That's why you love me, because _I_ let you be yourself. Right?" William asked, moving closer to Lily on the couch, pulling her into his arms, and kissing her on the temple.

Lily smiled. "Yes." She gently stroked his cheek. "You've always loved me for me, and never once tried to change me. Rufus on the other hand was never satisfied with me. I was always doing something he didn't approve of. He was always making me feel guilty for things."

William rubbed her back, enjoying her digging on Rufus. "Well, I promise to never make you feel guilty for anything. I'm sorry I reacted the way I did when I found out you kissed Rufus. It was wrong of me to react that way."

"Well, I wasn't a fan of you taking off all night like you did, but you had a right to be angry. At least with you, it's for good reason." Lily sighed. "Rufus' reasons for being angry with me were never justified."

"Well, he just doesn't understand you in the way that I do. I promise to always take your side, and to stand up for you in ways that Rufus never did," William assured her.

Lily pulled him close, and kissed him passionately. "I know you will."

William grinned. He was glad she had made the mistake about thinking Lisa was cheating when she wasn't. After all, it was going to end up working to his advantage.

~BA~

Thanks to Lily, she had given me the perfect idea to drive a wedge between her and Rufus. When she told me that Rufus said that he would be done with Lily if she ever tried to accuse Lisa of anything, again, I knew what I had to do. If I could make Lisa look so guilty of something, and got Lily to tell Rufus only to have her and Rufus find out that she was just being paranoid yet again, Rufus would ditch her for good. Then, he would no longer be a problem for me. Don't get me wrong, I know in the end, I will always win out over Rufus. After all, she chose to marry me again instead of him. Still, it would be nice to have that extra assurance that Rufus is out of the picture for good. I actually can't stand having the guy in our lives, and it would be a welcome relief to not have to worry about it any longer.

The only problem now was making Lisa look guilty once again. I know Lily said that she wouldn't tell Rufus if she caught Lisa in bed with another man, but I know that's not true. I know Lily. It would eat her up until she just _had_ to tell Rufus. So now, I guess all that was left to do was set Lisa up. I had no idea how to, but I wasn't worried. After all, I'm William van der Woodsen. I'd think of something.

~BA~

"I want to go to bed," Lily suddenly informed William, her arms draped over his shoulders.

William raised an eyebrow. "But it's only six o'clock! We haven't even eaten dinner yet."

Lily kissed down the side of his neck. "I have no intentions of sleeping. We could always stay in tonight and order something in. That is, after I enjoy a little appetizer, the appetizer being you."

"And you can be _my_ appetizer," William purred.

Lily grinned. "So, it's settled then. We'll have each other as an appetizer, then order the food in after." She brought her lips to his right ear, and continued in a purr, "That is, if we can manage to get ourselves out of bed." She gently took his earlobe between her teeth.

William shivered with delight, and moaned. "You know, that sounds like a _very_ good idea!" He then picked her up, and carried her up the stairs to the bedroom, kissing her passionately the entire way there. If making an ass out of herself in front of Rufus put her in the mood now, he could only imagine how in the mood she'd be for him if she made an ass out of herself in front of Rufus again resulting in Rufus eliminating her from his life! The possibilities were endless.

Yes, come morning, he would start on his plan to get Rufus and Lily out of each other's lives for good. But, tonight, he had a hot date with his wife and a bed. It would be nice to be intimate with his wife for a change, he figured. After all, it had been a while.

~Begin Again~

It took a few days, but William finally thought of the perfect plan. It was so genius, he was proud of himself. He had been so busy with work and Cassidy that he didn't have time to come with a way to make it look like Lisa was cheating. He'd have to come up with too good of a plan if he were going to do that because now more than ever Lily would need to be a hundred percent convinced that Lisa was cheating before she'd go blabbing to Rufus. And, frankly, even if he _hadn't_ been busy, he didn't feel like trying to figure out how to make it look like Lisa was cheating. It would be too much work for too little time. He wanted to put his plan into motion ASAP. So, he came up with another, more simpler idea. He had got to thinking, what would make Lily risk accusing Lisa of something and losing Rufus for good? The answer was simple—a personal attack.

So, he had gone out and bought two beautiful 24 carrot diamond necklaces with 24 karat gold chains. He had plans for both necklaces, which started with the next morning.

"Lily," William said to his wife during breakfast, which he rarely stayed for. "While I'm at work today, why don't you invite Lisa out to lunch, my treat? You can eat at Fred's. I know how much you love it there."

Lily raised an eyebrow at William. "Are you kidding me? You know how I feel about her."

"Don't you think you two should at least try to get along? Besides, not that I care much about Rufus, but I know you do, so I'm suggesting this for you. If Rufus sees you're trying to make it up to Lisa for falsely accusing her of cheating, he might not be so annoyed with you, or whatever it is you want to call it. You can get back on his good side, and look less like an ass all around." William picked up his coffee mug, and took a sip. He knew he had said the right thing to get her to change her mind.

Lily sighed. "Well, that _is_ a good idea. Lisa's not that bad of a person. She just annoys me. But, as I always say, Rufus is the father of one of my children, and he is still a dear friend of mine. And, our kids are married to each other. I suppose, for the sake of our children, and for the sake of mine and Rufus' friendship, I could try to get along with Lisa."

"I'm proud of you! Now, why don't you go call Lisa?" William suggested.

Lily looked up at him in surprise. "What, right now? After you go to work. I want to finish enjoying breakfast with you."

William sipped his coffee. "I still have a half hour. You have plenty of time. I want to see what she says." He nodded toward the phone. "Go. Call her."

Lily sighed, and shot him a weary look, but stood up anyway. She then headed to the phone, to call Lisa.

William couldn't hear the conversation fully since the phone was a good ten yards away, but from what he could gather, Lisa had answered, and had agreed to have lunch with her.

He raised an eyebrow when Lily took her seat back at the table five minutes later. "So? How did it go? What did she say?" he asked before taking another sip of his coffee.

Lily sighed. "She sounded very pleased I asked her. She was the one to answer the phone. I was glad it wasn't Rufus. Anyway, she said I didn't have to go out to lunch with her. She said she had already forgiven me. I told her I knew that, but I wanted to do this anyway, and that I wanted to try to become closer friends with her." She shot William a look. "You do realize how much it pained me to say those words to her, don't you?"

William smirked and nodded.

Lily sighed again. "Anyway, Little Miss Sunshine was absolutely thrilled, and agreed to meet me at Fred's at noon. She even suggested some shopping after." Lily shuddered. "What I don't do for my children."

_And Rufus_, William thought, but this time, he was glad she was doing this, no matter what her reasoning. After all, if all went according to plan, Rufus would be out of her life for good in hardly any time at all.

"So, I guess today's not going to be very fun!" Lily said, biting off a piece of her grape jelly covered toast, and roughly chewing it.

William smirked. "Come on now. At least give her a chance."

"I can't make any promises," Lily said.

"If I got you a present would it help?" William asked.

"Maybe," Lily said after swallowing her piece of toast. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Why do you care so much?"

"Well, like you, I want our children to be happy, and I know that Serena and Dan would be much happier if the in-laws got along." William said simply.

Lily sighed. "What kind of present do you have in mind?" she grinned at him.

He grinned in return. "I already got it!" He stood up, and headed for the coat closet. He had hidden her necklace deep in the back behind a box of gloves, hats, and scarves. He then took out the blue velvet box, and headed back to the table, where he handed the box to Lily.

Lily grinned at him. "Jewelry? You're off to a good start!"

He grinned.

She then opened the box, and gasped when she saw what was inside. "Is this..?" She trailed off as she took the necklace out, and examined it in awe.

"A 24 karat gold chain holding four 24 carat asscher-cut diamonds? Why, yes, Lily, it is!" William said proudly, the Cheshire Cat grin on his face.

"Oh my gosh, William! I love it!" Lily squealed with delight. She jumped out of her seat, and ran to her husband, embracing him, then kissing him passionately. "This is too much! It's must have cost you a fortune!"

"Don't you even worry about the money. It's nothing I can't afford. Besides, my favorite thing to spend my money on is you," William told her, taking the necklace from her, then latching it around her neck from behind. He kissed the side of her neck, then walked to the front of her to admire it on her. "You look absolutely breathtakingly stunning!"

Lily had tears in her eyes, she was so touched. "This is the nicest thing you've ever given me."

"Well, you deserve it for taking me back, and for being the best wife a guy could ask for!" William told her.

She kissed him again. "I'm _so_ wearing this to lunch today!" She hugged him.

William smiled because her wearing it during lunch was exactly what he had planned.

~Begin Again~

"I'm so glad Lily called me to have lunch! And she says she wants to be closer friends! I didn't even know she considered me a friend at all!" Lisa said. "I guess she doesn't hate me like I thought she did."

Rufus grabbed her from behind, and grinned against the back of her neck. He kissed her neck before speaking. "Maybe she finally grew a heart after realizing you she had falsely accused you of something."

Lisa grinned. "Maybe. Either way, guilt on her part or not, I'm just glad to be on good terms with her. It means so much to me to have your friends like me, and to be getting along with the in-laws!"

"Well, I'm glad." He kissed the top of her head. He then sighed. "I guess I better be off since I have to pick up Mikey at the hotel before work. We're also going to grab a quick breakfast since I open an hour later today." Rufus was bringing Mikey along to work so that they could have some guy time together.

"Have fun! And don't work too hard. I still think you need an assistant. Then you can leave the gallery once in a while," Lisa said before giving him a quick peck on the lips.

"I'll think about it!" He said before giving her a peck on the lips in return. "I love you."

"I love you too," Lisa said.

One more kiss, then Rufus was headed toward the door.

Lisa grinned, then happily headed to get dressed. She was so glad Lily wanted to be friends now! It made being falsely accused of cheating by her worth it!

~Begin Again~

"Right on time. Surprise, surprise," Lily said under her breath as Lisa arrived, smiling brightly as usual.

"Lily! Thank you so much for inviting me!" Lisa said, pulling Lily in for a hug.

"Hi, Lisa! Thank you for agreeing to join me," Lily said, awkwardly hugging Lisa back, and putting on her best smile. She wasn't going to be mean. She'd be nice no matter how much Lisa annoyed her. At least Lisa wasn't another Ivy Dickens, Lily figured.

The host sat them, and gave them their menus.

They made small talk as they looked over their menus, and they ordered both their drinks and their food once the waitress had arrived at their table.

Once the waitress was gone, Lily took of her coat, and got comfortable.

Lisa took off her coat as well, then gasped when she saw Lily's necklace. "Oh my gosh, that's so beautiful! Where did you get it?"

Lily smiled, and leaned forward to give Lisa a better look. After all, if there was anything Lily liked to do, it was brag. "William got it for me this morning. It's 24 karat gold, and 24 carat diamonds. Don't you just love it?"

"I _adore_ it!" Lisa said. She then leaned back in her seat. "You're so lucky to have a husband who buys you beautiful things like that. Don't get me wrong, Rufus buys me nice things, and he doesn't even _have_ to buy me nice things. It's just that, every girl likes nice things like that once in a while, you know?"

Lily nodded, and took a sip of her water. "Of course!"

"I know it's a lot to ask, but that would look beautiful with my wedding gown. Do you think that could be my something borrowed?" Lisa asked her.

Being friends with Lisa was one thing. Letting her borrow expensive jewelry was another.

Lily took another sip of her water before responding. "I think it would be a little too weird, you wearing something of mine to your wedding. You know, since I was married to Rufus before."

Lisa nodded. "I guess that _would_ be kind of weird, his new wife wearing something of his old wife's."

Lily could tell by the look on Lisa's face, and by the tone of her voice, that she really didn't see anything wrong with it, but was going along with it for Lily's sake. Lisa wanted so much for her to like her!

"But I'm sure there are plenty of beautiful things that your maid of honor and bride's maids can give you to borrow," Lilly stated.

Lisa nodded. "I'm sure." She smiled weakly.

Lily felt bad, so she changed the subject. "I know I said it before, but I'm really sorry about accusing you of cheating. It was foolish and careless of me, and I'm _so_ sorry."

Lisa shrugged. "No harm done! It was all just a little misunderstanding is all. You were just doing what you thought was right. You can be assured though, I would never cheat on Rufus. I love him!"

Lily nodded. "I know you do, and I know you'll be a really good wife for him."

Lisa looked like she was about to cry. She placed a hand over her heart and sighed. "You can't imagine how much that means to me to hear you say that."

Lily smiled. "I meant every word." It wasn't entirely true, but whatever made Lisa sleep and night... She cleared her throat. "Not that it's any of my business, but I noticed that day I accused you of cheating that you and Mikey were watching the travel channel. Do you have a trip planned?" She sipped her water again.

Lisa nodded. "We were looking for ideas for where Rufus and I should honeymoon."

_Of _course_ she has a good explanation,_ Lily thought. She smiled nonetheless. "Hawaii seems like it would make a beautiful honeymoon."

"I was thinking that too!" Lisa said, excited. "Have you ever been?"

"Once with my third husband, but he was so cheap, we didn't get to do much outside of the hotel room," Lily confessed.

"And that's a bad thing?" Lisa asked in confusion.

Lily laughed. She hadn't expected Little Miss Perfect to joke like that. "With him, yes, it was!"

They both laughed.

"To this day, I still can't remember why I married him. Our marriage lasted less than a year," Lily admitted.

"Temporary insanity?" Lisa suggested.

"You know, that must me it!" Lily said.

They laughed together again.

Lily couldn't believe she was actually having a good time, laughing with Lisa, but there she was, having a good time, and laughing with her. She guessed, maybe she had misjudged Lisa. Still, she had no plans to ever be besties with her any time soon.

~Begin Again~

"So, how was your day with Lisa?" William asked once Lily had returned home.

Lily set her purse down on the island, and smiled. "It wasn't too bad, actually. I never thought I'd say this, but I actually had a good time with Lisa."

"That's great! I'm glad, because I didn't want tonight to be too awkward," William said casually.

"What's tonight?" Lily asked, wrapping her arms around her husband, and kissing his cheek.

"Well, I figured that maybe you, me, Rufus, and Lisa could all do dinner tonight. I figured Rufus and I should try to get along as well. So, I stopped by the gallery on my lunch break, and invited him and Lisa. Mikey was there too, so I invited him as well," William answered.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Rufus actually agreed to this?"

"Well, at first he laughed in my face. But, once I explained to him that I encouraged you to make amends with Lisa, and how it would be best for our children if we all got along, he changed his mind," William said simply.

Lily raised an eyebrow again, her arms crossed over her chest. "Oh? It was that easy, huh?"

William grinned. "Well, I might have thrown in something about me being the only one who knows how to be the bigger man. Rufus insisted that he was a better and bigger man than I'd ever be. Then, Mikey suggested he do it for Lisa. He reminded Rufus how much getting along with everyone means to Lisa. And, that was all that Rufus needed. He agreed for us all to meet at Harry Cipriani's tonight at six. I called and made us the reservation."

Lily laughed. "Now _that_ sounds more like Rufus!"

"So, you're not angry I invited them without asking you first?" William asked, wrapping his arms tightly around Lily, and resting his forehead against hers.

Lily smiled at him. "Not at all. Like I said, Lisa's not _horrible_, and you're doing this for the kids. So, how can I be angry?"

William smiled, and gently stroked her hair. "Yes, for the kids. We'll have fun tonight. I promise."

Lily smiled too. "As long as I have you, that's all that matters."

They kissed.

~Begin Again~

"It figures! William's the one who invited us, and he can't even be bothered to be here on time," Rufus grumbled as he, Lisa, and Mikey sat in the waiting area, waiting for William and Lily to arrive. So far, they had been waiting for five minutes.

"Maybe Lily looked so hot in her dress, it made William ravish her. It's not like we haven't been late because of something similar," Lisa said with a smile as she adjusted her sleeveless, knee-length blue silk dress, then leaned against him, smiling big.

Rufus and Mikey both made a face.

"TMI!" Mikey complained.

"Please do not put that image in my head. The thought of that disgusting man with his hands all over Lily..." Rufus trailed off, his fists clenched.

"Hey!" Lisa interjected, "He _is_ her husband. Husbands do those kind of things with their wives. Besides, I thought tonight was about playing nice."

"I don't have to play nice until he arrives. Besides, him making us wait isn't exactly playing nice with us," Rufus grumbled.

Lisa shook her head and smiled. "Be the bigger person. Remember?" Mikey had told her all about Rufus' earlier conversation with William. Mikey had found it hilarious how easily William got to Rufus.

Rufus sighed. "Yeah, yeah," he grumbled.

Just then, William and Lily entered the restaurant. William was wearing a suit, which to Rufus might as well have been a sweat suit. Lily, however, was wearing a beautiful red, one shouldered chiffon dress that went to her ankles. Her hair was up in a beautiful updo. On her neck was a beautiful, very pricey looking diamond necklace. He had no doubt William had bought it for her. He hated when men like William threw their money around. It was obviously just to show off. It had nothing to do with love.

"William," he said nodding politely at him.

"Rufus," William said, nodding back at him. "Thank you for agreeing to dinner."

Rufus ignored him, and turned his attention to Lily. "Lily, you look beautiful." He kissed Lily's cheek.

"Thank you, Rufus. You look quite handsome yourself!" Lily said, kissing his cheek in return.

"Thanks," Rufus said. He actually felt dressed down in his khaki's and blue dress shirt. Thankfully, Mikey was wearing similar attire, so he wasn't alone.

Lily and Lisa exchanged compliment's on the other's attire, and then Lily and Mikey greeted each other. William greeted Lisa and Mikey.

Then, finally, they were all seated. Rufus sat to Mikey's right, and William sat to Mikey's left. Lisa and Lily sat next to each other across from the men with Lisa somewhere between Rufus and Mikey, and Lily somewhere between Mikey and William.

Not much conversation was made as they looked over their menus, ordered their drinks, looked over their menus some more, then ordered their food once the waiter had brought over their drinks.

Once the waiter had gone to put their food order in, they made small talk. William talked about work. It annoyed Rufus. William was clearly just bragging about how smart and talented he was when it came to being a doctor. Every story was how he had performed some life changing surgery.

Rufus fought not to roll his eyes. _Give me a break!_ he thought.

Mikey told the story of how his ex-boyfriend, whom he had thought was the love of his life and whom he had even moved to London for, ended up wanting to be straight again.

They all voiced how terrible that was.

"I know, right? So many gay people let bigots brainwashing them into thinking they can "fix themselves." You're born gay. You can't change who you are, nor should you have to. So many people do stuff the Bible is against every day. They have premarital sex and think nothing of it, yet they will look down the hardest on gay people as if we're murderers of something," Mikey said bitterly.

"This world is full of narrow-minded, hypocritical idiots," William said with a nod of agreement.

Rufus held back a snicker. _Such as yourself you mean,_ he thought. But he kept quiet since it meant so much to Lisa that they all got along.

Lisa and Rufus told old stories about being on the road.

Lily didn't have any stories of her own to tell, but she did ask questions, and commented on everyone else's stories. She kept playing with her necklace, and smiling adoringly at William.

Rufus did end up rolling his eyes at one point. Lily usually wasn't stupid, but this time, she was being incredibly stupid thinking that William had changed. It made him _sick_ so see her fawning all over him like that.

William seemed to notice Rufus eyeing up the necklace, for William gently nudged Lily. "Take off your necklace and show it to Rufus. He wants to see it."

Rufus shook his head. "That's all right. I've seen it up close when you guys arrived." He knew William just wanted him to see it so that he could rub it in his face that he could afford something like that and Rufus couldn't.

"Well, let Lisa try it on then. I can tell my the look in her eyes, she's enthralled by it," William insisted.

Rufus clenched his fists. Now he was just taunting him. But again, for Lisa's sake, he wouldn't start a fight.

"You don't have to," Lisa said to Lily, blushing a bit.

"Oh, come on! Try it on. You know you want to. It won't hurt to see what you look like in it," William pressed. He then nudged Lily. "Go ahead. Let her try it on."

Rufus noticed that Lily looked a little reluctant, but she unlatched the necklace anyway, and handed it to Lisa.

"I couldn't," Lisa said.

"I'm not giving it to you; I'm just having you try it on. No big deal," Lily said to her.

"I know, but—"

Lily cut Lisa off. "If you ever want any peace from William, just try the thing on."

Rufus couldn't tell by her tone if she was annoyed, or only joking.

Lisa carefully took the necklace. "Well, all right. If you insist."

Lily helped her latch it.

They then all admired it on Lisa.

Rufus felt bad. Lisa really did look pretty in it. He had some cash from Lincoln Hawk, but they weren't as popular as they used to be back in the day, so he wasn't exactly rolling in the dough. The gallery brought in a little income, but unfortunately, living in NYC was expensive even in Brooklyn. He didn't know if he could afford something as nice as that necklace. He made a promise to himself he would get her something nice though, even if it wasn't as many karats or carats.

Lisa then took the necklace off after a moment, and handed it back to Lily. "Thanks for letting me try it on," she said.

Lily gave her a small smile. "You're welcome."

Lily was going to put the necklace back on, but William stopped her.

"Why don't you put it in the zipper pocket of your purse instead?" he asked her.

"Why?" Lily asked him, an eyebrow raised.

"The more I think about it, the more I don't think it goes with that dress. It still looks beautiful on you, but I like looking at the tightness of the top of your dress without a necklace covering it." William grinned.

Lily smirked. "You're lucky you're handsome, and that I love you. Otherwise that would have come off as perverted."

"It's already come out as weird," Rufus mumbled underneath his breath.

Mikey snickered, having heard him.

Lily did as told, and put the necklace in the zipper compartment of her purse.

They then all made small talk, and shortly after, their food arrived.

They had a nice meal, and ended up ordering dessert.

Rufus was getting good at just ignoring William. Though, he couldn't help but notice that, for someone who wanted to be on better terms with him, William hadn't addressed him even once since the necklace ordeal. It was fine with Rufus though, for it was a silent permission for him to ignore William as well.

Dinner and dessert had both been good.

"I'll be right back. I have to go to the bathroom before we leave," Rufus told Lisa, getting up, and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"All right," she agreed.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll be right back," Mikey said, getting up as well.

"Lily, can I see you for a moment?" William asked.

"Sure." Lily stood up, and was going to take her purse, but William stopped her from bringing it.

"I'm sure Lisa won't mind staying with it. Leave it here. You'll see why in a moment," he told her.

"All right," Lily said, sounding a little skeptical. "Do you mind?" she then asked Lisa.

Lisa shook her head. "Not at all. I'll be right here."

"Thanks," Lily said before taking off with William.

"Be right back," Rufus said, giving Lisa a quick kiss on the lips this time before rushing off toward the bathroom. He wondered what William had to say to Lily that couldn't be said at the table. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.

However, whether he wanted to know or now, he soon found out. William had Lily pinned up against the wall in the hallway that held the bathrooms.

"I just wanted an excuse to get you alone and kiss you. And, as you know, kissing is so much easier when you're not holding anything like a clutch," William said to her, his voice low, and filled with desire.

Lily smiled. "I agree! It leaves me free to hold you instead!"

William grinned. "Exactly!"

They then kissed. Neither one of them seemed to notice him there.

Rufus rolled his eyes, and resisted the urge to gag as he entered the bathroom. He could hardly wait for this night to end.

~BA~

William had insisted on paying the bill. I wasn't going to let him at first, but then changed my mind. I put up with him during dinner. The least he could do was pay for dinner. After all, as he is so fond of displaying, he could definitely afford it.

I was just so glad that dinner was finally over with. I could't stand William, and I just needed to get away from him before I punched him in the smug little face of his.

However, just when I thought I was free from him, he had to come up with another idiotic idea that once again, I couldn't get out of.

"You know what?" he asked. "I had so much fun tonight that I have an idea. How about the five of us all go to the Symphony tomorrow? My treat. I have a contact that can get me boxed seats no problem at all. He owes me one."

"Sorry, I can't. I leave early tomorrow for California. I won't be back until a week before the wedding," Mikey told him.

"That sounds nice!" Lisa latched onto my arm, and looked at me. "Do you want to go? I don't think we have any other plans. Do we?"

I put on my best smile. The symphony sounded like the most boring thing in the world to go to apart from the ballet. To go with William would make it all the more unbearable. But, seeing the excited look on Lisa's face, I couldn't say no. "Sure! Sounds like fun," I said. It didn't come out enthusiastically at all, but no one seemed to notice.

"Excellent! I'll give my contact a call as soon as I get home. You two have a good night, and I will call you guys in the morning," William said cheerily.

"I'm looking forward to it," I lied.

We then exchanged our goodbyes. I kissed Lily's cheeks, and she kissed mine. "Goodbye, Rufus," she said, batting her long lashes. "I had fun tonight. It was good to see you."

"It was good to see you too, Lil. It always is." I took her hands in mine, and gently squeezed them. "See you tomorrow."

She smiled, and nodded. "Tomorrow," she agreed.

I let go of her hands, then William placed his arm possessively around her.

I looked away. Lily was far too good for him.

After a few more parting words exchanged between the five of us, Lily and William then walked off one way, while Lisa and I took a cab the other way to the loft, and Mikey took his own cab to his hotel.

I was already dreading tomorrow.

~BA~

"Tonight wasn't so bad! Was it?" Lisa asked, massaging Rufus' shoulders once they were back in the loft. They were sitting on the bed, having gotten home just five minutes before.

Rufus sighed. "I guess not. Though, I'm not really looking forward to tomorrow."

"What? I thought you said you were looking forward to it!" Lisa said.

"I was just trying to be polite." Rufus turned to face Lisa. "Also, I knew how much you wanted to go."

"Well, I don't want to force you to go if you really don't want to," Lisa said.

Rufus shook his head. "You're not forcing me. I'll go. I already said I would." He took her hands in his own, and kissed them. "Besides, knowing how happy it will make you for us to see the symphony, it makes it all worth it. Whenever _you're_ happy, _I'm_ happy!"

Lily blushed. "You're so sweet. Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you."

"You make me happier than I've ever been. Believe me, you deserve it," Rufus assured her.

"But I'll feel bad making you go somewhere you don't want to go," Lisa said.

"Don't feel bad. Like I said, when you're happy, I'm happy. I'll be happy since you're happy. It's a win-win situation," Rufus assured her, giving her a smile for extra affect.

Lisa grinned, and slowly ran her hands up his chest. "Well, let me do something for _you_ in return then," she purred.

Rufus' eyes lowered. "You don't have to. I'm happy to do it without anything in return."

"I know, but things work the same for me. When _you're_ happy, _I'm_ happy." Lisa then whispered into his ear, "So let me make you happy."

Rufus moaned. "If you really want to..."

Lisa licked her lips. "Oh, I _really_ want to," she purred. She pulled off her nightgown, and let it fall to the floor. She then tugged at his boxer shorts. "You really want it too, don't you?" she purred into his ear.

Rufus looked at her, lust filling his eyes. He licked his lips. "Oh, you _know_ I want to!"

They grinned at each other.

Rufus then flicked off the lights.

Then, they went to work at making each other very, very happy.

~Begin Again~

"I'm surprised you're so into hanging out with Rufus and Lisa all of the sudden," Lily said as William slipped her bra strap down her shoulder, and kissed down her neck to her shoulder. She smirked. "Are you going to be best friends with him now?"

William looked at her. "Hardly!" He kissed her shoulder again. "I just want to at least be civil with him. I figure, if we can go from hating each other to learning to tolerate each other, things will be better for everyone in the end."

"Well, I think it was very nice of you to treat everyone to not only dinner tonight, but symphony tickets for tomorrow night as well," Lily said.

"I'm happy to do it! I'm just glad my friend was able to come through so quickly. It would have been embarrassing if he had told me there was no way he could get me tickets on such late notice. After all that bragging I did!" William grinned. He had called his contact as soon as they had arrived home. Thankfully, his contact had enough tickets.

Lily laughed. "Rufus and Lisa would have understood."

"Lisa maybe, but Rufus would have never let me live it down," William stated.

Lily thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right," she said.

They both laughed.

Lily sighed with contentment, as William moved the other strap of her bra off her other shoulder, and began kissing said shoulder. "I'm glad we're all starting to get along now. It's so much better than fighting all the time."

"I couldn't agree with you more," William stated. "Now, what do you say we make this night even better?"

Lily looked over her shoulder at him, and bat her eyelashes. "How?" she asked, feigning innocence.

"I'd be better at showing you than telling you," William said. He flicked off the lights.

"You're going to show me in the dark?" Lily asked, still feigning innocence.

"That's the best way to show you," William said as he gently lay Lily down onto her back on the bed. He slowly slid her underwear off.

A moment later, Lily moaned. "Mm, yes, the dark is definitely better," she agreed.

~Begin Again~

The next night, William watched Lily getting dressed, and waited for her to go for her necklace. He could not believe how well things that worked out for him the night before. He had thought he was going to have to do a lot more than he actually had to do.

He knew it would be easy to get Lisa to try on Lily's necklace, but it worked out even better when he saw how enthralled with the necklace Lisa had been. His luck began when Lily had actually bought his stupid reason for her leaving her necklace in her purse instead of putting it back on. It was a lame excuse even to him, and _he_ was the one who had come up with the excuse! It was so lucky and perfect when Rufus and Mikey both had to go to the bathroom at the same time. William had thought for sure that Lisa was going to go as well, but when she didn't, he knew that was the perfect time for Lisa to be left alone at the table with Lily's purse. It was an extra bonus when Rufus walked by and saw him kissing Lily. _In your face, Rufus!_ he had thought. _Lily is mine now. All mine._

Getting Rufus and Lisa to agree to go to the symphony the next night was the biggest miracle of them all. William knew that Rufus still didn't like him anymore than he liked Rufus. He supposed he had Lisa to thank for that one. Rufus would do anything to make his precious fiancé happy. Lisa was always so happy and eager to please. William guessed he should have known that she'd be all for it.

"Where's my necklace?" Lily's frantic voice broke through William's thoughts.

William looked at her, making sure to both look and sound innocent. "What do you mean? You put it in your purse, remember? You didn't take it back out last night, did you?"

Lily shook her head. "No, I didn't." She was searching through her purse like a madwoman.

"Well, then, it has to be there," William insisted. He hid a smirk. He knew Lily wouldn't find it in there. He had sneaked it out of her purse when she was sleeping. He had hid it in his safe. Lily never went into his private safe. She didn't even know the combination. She'd never find the necklace.

"It's not! I put it in the zipper compartment. I remember because that's where you told me to put it! It's not there anymore!" Lily said frantically.

"Well, you had your purse with you at all times, didn't you? How could it just disappear from your purse like that?" William asked. He was secretly tickled inside. He had just lit the match, and now it was time to see Lily burn with anger as she remembered Lisa having been left alone with it.

Lily's face lit up. "But I didn't! Lisa was left alone with it when Rufus and Mikey left to go to the bathroom, and you dragged me off to kiss me, remember?"

"Lisa wouldn't have stolen it. Would she?" William asked, trying his best to sound innocent.

"She must have! That's the only logical explanation! Besides, you saw how she was fawning all over it. She absolutely loved it!" Her eyes suddenly got wide. "When we went out to lunch together that is when she first saw it. She actually asked me if she could wear it when she married Rufus. She wanted it to be her something borrowed. I told her no because it would be too weird. In reality, I just didn't want to lend it to her. That little bitch must have taken it so she could wear it to marry Rufus! She probably figured she'd sneak it back after the wedding, and I'd never know. I'll kill her!" Lily snapped.

"Now calm down, Lily. We don't know for sure that Lisa took it," William said gently. He placed a hand overtop of Lily's shoulder.

"She _had_ to be the one to take it! Who else could have?" Lily asked.

William sighed. "I'll buy you another one. Just relax, all right? We have to leave in ten minutes, so put on a different necklace, and let's go." He said it gently and calmly.

Lily sighed. "Fine." She put on a ruby necklace, and then grabbed her purse.

Ten minutes later, they were headed out the door.

Suddenly, William stopped. "Shoot!"

"What?" Lily asked.

"I totally forgot I was supposed to call and check in with a patient quick. You go on ahead so that Rufus and Lisa don't wonder what's keeping us. Our tickets are waiting at the box office." William placed a hand over Lily's back, gently leading her toward the elevator. "If you don't mind getting our tickets, I'll meet you there."

"But, you can't be late for the show!" Lily protested as William practically pushed her onto the elevator.

"I won't be, I promise. I just need ten minutes, then I'll get a taxi, and be right there," William assured her.

"Well, try not to be any longer. I don't want to go in without you," Lily said.

"I won't be long, I promise!" William said right before the doors closed.

As soon as the doors closed, William ran to his safe, opened it up, and took out the necklace. He shoved it into his pocket, then waited a few minutes to make sure Lily had time to get in her taxi, and that the taxi had time to take off.

Everything was going perfectly according to plan. In fact, he knew the next part of his plan should be taking place right about now.

~Begin Again~

Rufus and Lisa were ready to go.

Rufus slid open the loft door, and was surprised to see a small package on the floor. He bent down and picked it up. It had to return address, but it was addressed to Lisa.

"Honey, it's for you," he said, handing it to her.

"From you?" she asked with a smile.

Rufus shook his head. "I'm not sure who it's from, but it's not from me. It had no return address."

"I wonder who sent it. Maybe it says inside." Lisa brought the package into the apartment, set it on the island, then opened it up with a knife. She took out the blue velvet box. "It's jewelry! From the size of the box, I'd say it's a necklace." She opened up the box, and gasped when she saw that it was the same necklace that Lily had. She covered her mouth. "Oh my gosh!"

"Isn't that like Lily's necklace?" Rufus asked.

Lisa nodded. "It must be from Lily or William! They must have seen how much I liked it, and got me my own!"

Rufus had a feeling that William was behind it. Though Lily and Lisa were getting along better, he highly doubted that Lily cared enough to buy Lisa such an expensive necklace. William just did this to throw it in his face that he could afford to buy Lisa expensive necklaces, and he couldn't.

Lisa took off her other necklace. It was a pretty emerald necklace that Rufus had gotten her on their first dating anniversary. The chain was sterling silver, and the emerald was small, so he had been able to afford it. "Will you put this on me? I want to wear it tonight. I'm sure that's why they had it delivered now. So they could see it on me tonight!" Lisa said happily.

Rufus was beyond annoyed that William had done this. He was also annoyed that Lisa had ditched his necklace for the one William had bought her. He wasn't angry with Lisa. After all, it was only normal to be excited over a pretty necklace when you were a woman. Also, also, he was sure she hadn't even thought about it when taking off the necklace he had bought her.

He sighed, and latched the new necklace around her neck. "Now you're going to look even more beautiful than you already do," he said sincerely. He wasn't going to be one of those prideful boyfriends who wouldn't let their girlfriend wear something just because another man bought it for her. He knew William and Lisa had no interest in each other in that way. Anyway, Rufus wasn't going to punish Lisa because of his pride. Besides, he had a feeling that getting upset over it was exactly what William wanted him to do. Well, he wasn't going to give in to William. No. He would act grateful to William tonight. He wouldn't act angry at all. That would show him!

He placed his hand over Lisa's back. "Well, we better be going now. We don't want to be late!"

Lisa nodded as they headed out the door. "Do you think it's all right to keep it? Or is it too expensive?"

"He wanted to give it to you, so let him. I'd actually find it more insulting if I gave someone a gift and they said they couldn't accept it," Rufus said, being honest.

"Good point. Ooh, I just love it!" Lisa squealed and he slid the door shut behind them and locked it.

He smiled weakly. "I'm glad."

The elevator doors opened, and they slipped onto the elevator.

Lisa gushed about the necklace the whole way down.

Rufus sighed. It was going to be a long night, holding himself back from punching William's lights now. What would be even harder was pretending to be grateful to him. Needless to say, he had a very strong feeling that tonight was certainly not going to be a fun night.

~Begin Again~

Lily arrived at the symphony. She didn't see Rufus and Lisa yet, so she went ahead and picked up their tickets. She then waited in the cold, hoping they'd arrive soon. She knew Lisa had taken her necklace, but she didn't have any proof. She wasn't going to accuse Lisa without any proof. Still, it was going to be quite the task being nice to Lisa tonight, and pretending that nothing was wrong.

A moment later, a cab pulled up, and out came Rufus and Lisa.

They waked over to Lily, and Lily waved and smiled. However, her smile was quickly wiped off her face when she saw her shiny diamond necklace against Lisa's throat.

Lily narrowed her eyes. "I _knew_ it! You stole my necklace!" She pointed to Lisa's neck.

Lisa looked shocked. "What? No! I was given this as a present. I thought _you_ gave it to me!"

Lily laughed. "I gave it to you? Why would I give it to you when I wouldn't even let you borrow it for your wedding?"

"I thought you had bought me my own. Either that or William had," Lisa said, sounding on the verge of tears.

"Um, no! Why would William or I buy you your own? Do you know how expensive that was?" Lily snapped.

"I'm sorry! I guess I was wrong," Lisa said, her eyes tearing up.

"Oh, don't you go playing the victim!" Lily snapped.

"Lily, that's **enough**!" Rufus barked. "Stop harassing her! It's not your damned necklace!"

Lily turned to Rufus, her eyes filled to the brim with anger. "It has to be! I went to get my necklace to wear tonight, and it was gone from my purse. I had my purse with me the whole time except for the time that Lisa was left alone with it. You saw how much she liked the necklace! She even told me earlier at lunch that she wanted to wear it to her wedding. I thought it would be weird for her to wear something of mine to marry you when I used to be married to you myself, so I told her no. I guess she didn't want to take no for an answer!" Lily crossed her arms over her chest, and glared at Lisa.

"I didn't steal it, Lily, I promise you! I would never!" Lisa was sobbing now.

"She's telling the truth, Lily!" Rufus snapped. "I don't know what happened to yours, but I know Lisa doesn't have it. I was there when she got the package. It was delivered to her with no return address, so she assumed it came from you and William."

Lily shook her head, her arms still crossed over her chest. "No return address? How convenient! She probably just had it delivered to herself! That way, she could wear it in front of you without you suspecting that she stole it from me!"

"I did not! Why would I do that? I'm not a thief, Lily. I just wanted to be friends with you. I'd never steal from you!" Lisa said, still sobbing.

Rufus put his arms around Lisa protectively. "Sh," he gently soothed. "It's all right."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh brother!" Rufus was so stupid, he couldn't even see a liar when she was right underneath his nose!

William suddenly appeared. "Hey, Lily, I found your necklace. It was underneath the bed near where you left your purse. It must have fallen out somehow." He took her necklace out of his pocket, and held it up to her with a smile. Then, upon seeing the look on Lily's face, he turned to see Lisa sniffling in Rufus' arms, and Rufus shooting invisible daggers at Lily from his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Your wife just accused my fiancé of stealing her necklace. Lisa got one just like Lily's in the mail tonight with no return address on it. She thought it was a gift from you and Lily, but apparently, it wasn't," Rufus explained.

"Is this true?" William asked, turning his attention back to Lily.

Lily looked up at him, her face flushed."Well, what else was I supposed to think? My necklace goes missing, then suddenly Lisa is wearing one just like it that she just got tonight?"

William sighed. "I told you it had to be there when you couldn't find it. I also told you that Lisa wasn't a thief."

Lily shrugged. "I guess I was wrong."

"You think?" Rufus snapped nastily.

"I don't know how it could get out of my purse when it was zippered in," Lily said.

"You must have unzipped it and forgot, or it must have not been zipped all the way to begin with," William stated.

"I think you owe my fiancé an apology," Rufus said to Lily through gritted teeth.

Lily turned to Lisa. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you like that." It pained her to apologize, but she knew she was in the wrong even though she absolutely _hated_ to be wrong.

"It's all right. I understand it looked bad," Lisa said between sniffles. She was still clinging tightly to Rufus.

"Lily, can I please talk to you over there for a minute?" Rufus asked, nodding over towards his right and Lily's left.

Lily nodded. She knew he wasn't her biggest fan at the moment. She figured she might as well get the scolding over with.

So, Rufus led her a few yards away, out of earshot of Lisa and William. Then, he let her have it. "How _dare_ you accuse my fiancé of stealing your necklace? Lisa would never do something like that, and you know it!"

Lily shrugged. "I said I was sorry."

"Yeah, well, sorry doesn't cut it anymore, Lily!" Rufus snapped.

Lily tried to say something, but Rufus cut her off. "No, Lily! You're going to listen for once in your life! I told you before that if you pulled something like this again, or if you said anything negative against Lisa again that you and I would be through—for good. You said you understood, yet you just pulled this."

"Well, what was I supposed to think, Rufus? My necklace went missing, she was the only one alone with my purse besides myself, and then the necklace mysteriously appeared on her neck tonight when you and I _both_ know that neither of you could afford to buy that!"

"Common sense should have told you that Lisa isn't the type of person to steal. Besides, I warned you, and you still just had to shoot your mouth off! You didn't learn your lesson from last time. You should have calmly talked to Lisa about it first before you went accusing!" Rufus snapped.

"I did! I accused her first without running to you first!" Lily said defiantly.

"Oh my _gosh_, Lily! You're going to be fifty years old soon, and you're still acting like you're in your twenties!" Rufus shook his head in disbelief, his arms crossed over his chest. "You know what? I'm done. I meant what I said before. You and I are through! I can't take you and your outbursts and accusations anymore. I'll see you when there's no way out of it, but for the most part, I want you to stay out of my life—for good!"

Lily paused. He was really angry. She had never seen him this angry before. "You don't mean that, Rufus."

"Oh, you bet your ass I do! I'm sick of it, Lily!" Rufus held up both his hands in a stop motion. "No more! We're done! I don't want you to call me, I don't want you to text me, I don't want you to email me, and I don't even want to hear you speak to me! If you see me in the streets, you walk the other way. The only time we talk is if it has to do with our children. All right? Do I make myself clear?" Rufus was so angry he was shaking, and his face had turned a bright shade of red.

Lily nodded, trying hard not to cry. "Perfectly," she managed to say, though it came out in a whisper.

Rufus nodded. "Good! Goodbye, Lily." He then walked purposely passed her, and back over to Lisa and William. He took Lisa into his arms, then looked at William. "I'm sorry, but I can't do this whole symphony thing tonight. I'm sorry for any money you might have lost. I will send you the money for mine and Lisa's tickets."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not worried about the money," William said calmly.

"Let's go," Rufus said gently to Lisa.

"Thank you!" Lisa said to William as Rufus helped her into a taxi.

"You're welcome," William said.

Lily sighed as she watched the taxi cab take Rufus out of her life for ever. She sniffled, and held back the tears. "Goodbye, Rufus," she whispered.

"Are you okay?" William asked, coming up to her then, and wrapping an arm tightly around her.

"Yeah. I'm just suddenly not feeling very well. Would you be angry if we just go home? Or you can stay if you want," Lily said, trying not to cry.

"I'm not angry at all! You're the most important thing in the world to me, along with our children. Let's go," William said gently.

"Thank you," Lily said with a sniffle. She rested her head on his shoulder as he slowly led her to a taxi.

He helped her into a taxi, and closed the door for her.

She then leaned her head against the window with a sigh, and closed her eyes. "What have I done?" she whispered. "What. Have I. Done?"


	7. Forgetting Lily van der Woodsen

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 7: Forgetting Lily van der Woodsen**_

Lily lie in bed, staring up at the ceiling as the heard the sounds of William's shower running, and William's cheerful song. He seemed to be in a good mood this morning. She was glad one of them was.

She sighed as she replayed last night over in her head. She couldn't believe Rufus had just cut her out of his life, just like that. She knew he had warned her he would if she accused Lisa of anything again, or said anything bad about her, but she hadn't thought he'd actually meant it!

It wasn't her fault! Her necklace went missing when Lisa was the only one who could have taken it. Then, that night, Lisa showed up wearing her necklace, or rather, what she had thought was her necklace. Rufus and Lisa couldn't afford a necklace like that. There was so way! So, what else was she supposed to think? She could not _believe_ Rufus had held that one against her. Then again, Rufus was always taking someone else's side. Never once in their marriage had he ever taken her side. Well, he'd always taken her side against Jack, but Jack had tried to rape her, so he had no _choice_ but to take her side on that one.

She sighed again. Even so, imagining her life without Rufus was killing her inside.

~BA~

I don't know why I'm feeling so sad about it. Rufus never let me be myself. He's always accusing me, and never hearing me out. He's always willing to take anyone's side but mine unless he has no _choice_ but to take my side. It isn't right, and it certainly isn't fair. I even apologized to Lisa, and she forgave me. Still, that wasn't good enough for him. I'm never good enough for him.

I don't deserve to be treated the way he treats me. Take last night, for instance. He didn't want to hear my side of the story at all. He didn't want to take into consideration that it was perfectly natural for me to think that Lisa had stolen my necklace. I mean, hello! All signs pointed to her. And what did he expect me to do? Just let her steal my necklace and get away with it simply because she is a nice person and his fiancé? I don't think so! No one messes with Lily van der Woodsen, and he knows it! It's not my fault I was wrong. _Anyone_ would have jumped to the same conclusion I did if they were in the same position that I was. In fact, I'm willing to bet all I have that Rufus would have accused me in a heartbeat if Lisa was missing a necklace, and all signs pointed to me being the one to take it. He can be so hypocritical sometimes.

You know, the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that maybe it's a _good_ thing that Rufus cut me out of his life. I'm tired of feeling guilty over things I shouldn't feel guilty over. I'm tired of always being judged and ridiculed. I'm judged and ridiculed when my heart is in the right place, and I'm judged and ridiculed when I make a mistake. As if I'm the only one who ever makes mistakes!

I turned over to my side, and heard the shower water turn off. Still, William kept singing. He was singing Frank Sinatra's "Call Me Irresponsible." He was good!

I smiled to myself. There was no use in fretting over losing Rufus when I was married to a wonderful man who loves me just the way I am, and who never judges me, or makes me feel guilty.

I had convinced my mind that. The next step was convincing my aching heart.

~BA~

William came out of the shower five minutes later, fully dressed in his doctor's uniform, and looking very clean and dapper.

Lily smiled at him. "You look so incredibly sexy! I wish you could just skip work and stay home in bed with me all day."

William grinned at her. "Trust me, there is nothing I'd love more than to be able to do that, but unfortunately, I just can't. A couple of our surgeons are out with the flu, so we're short on staff as it is. I have a heart surgery to perform today, and, as you know, that certainly can't wait."

Lily crawled toward him on the bed, and smoothed out his jacket. "Well, maybe when you get home from work, you can work on _my_ heart." She brought her lips to his left ear. "And I can work on yours," she then purred.

William licked his lips, and grinned at her. "You know me. I'm never one to turn down a good cardio workout!"

They grinned at each other, and kissed.

William then sighed. He slipped on his shoes. "I guess I better be going. I might be home late, but if I am, we can just do a late dinner. Is that all right?"

Lily nodded. "As long as you're not _too_ late."

"No worries. I shouldn't be any later than seven. I'm just not sure if I'll get stuck with the Davison foot surgery or not. If not, then I should be back around six." He kissed her. "Have a good day."  
Lily watched as William left the bedroom.

She sighed. She had already had breakfast with William before his shower. So, now all she had to do was take her own shower, get ready for the day, then find something to do to keep herself busy and Rufus off her mind. She knew she could accomplish the first two easily. However, the third one was going to be a little tougher. She'd manage though. She hoped.

~Begin Again~

"Rufus!"

At the sound of Lisa's harsh and loud tone, Rufus looked up from the newspaper he was reading. "What?"

"Do you want something else to eat?" Lisa asked. "Or some more orange juice?"

Rufus shook his head. "No, I'm good, but thanks. Everything was great." He pat his stomach for emphasis. Lisa had made him breakfast—his favorite! She had made waffles, bacon, sausage, and hash browns. It was good, but he hadn't had much of an appetite.

"You only ate one of the three waffles I made you. Are they no good? I haven't made waffles that many times in my life, but they're pretty simple to make. I didn't think I could mess _those_ up! Are they gross?" Lisa asked with concern.

Rufus shook his head. "No, Honey, they're wonderful. Thank you for making them. I'm sorry. I just don't have much of an appetite today for some reason."

Lisa sighed, and rested her elbows on the island, and her chin in her hands. "It's because of Lily, isn't it? You miss her already, and regret cutting her out of your life."

Rufus shook his head, and looked her in the eyes. "That's not it! I'm just not hungry. It happens sometimes."

Lisa raised en eyebrow at him. We've been together for over two years, Rufus. And we were together all those years ago before that. Not once have I ever seen you not hungry for waffles. Also, you were reading the same page of the newspaper for five minutes. Something is going on, and you don't want to tell me what it is for some reason."

"Lisa, nothing is going on. I'm just not hungry is all. Come down to the gallery for lunch. I'll close up for an hour, and we can go get lunch somewhere. As for dinner, I'll have a huge dinner if it makes you feel better." He grinned at her, and quickly kissed her on the lips before standing up. "I better be gong now."

"You know, if you want to make up with Lily, and let her back into your life, I won't be angry. You don't have to cut off the friendship because she falsely accused me of a couple things. It's nothing I can't handle." Lisa said from a few feet away from him.

Rufus paused at the door, and looked back at her. "It's not just that. Lily and I have had issues since as long as I can remember. We're just not right for each other—not even as friends. And frankly, I don't want to be friends with someone who treats you the way she did."

Lisa sighed. "All right then. If that's how you truly feel."

Rufus nodded. "It is. So, will I see you at lunchtime?"

Lisa nodded. "I'll be there around noon."

"All right. See you then." Rufus then took off out of the loft before Lisa could question him any more about being down and out.

He sighed as he got onto the elevator, and it took him down to the lobby. The truth was, he _was_ upset over Lily. He was mourning the loss of a friend. But it was for a good reason. He had meant the other things he had said to Lisa. He and Lily really _have_ had issues as long as he could remember. Lily accusing Lisa not once but twice for something Lisa hadn't done was the last straw. For over twenty-five years, Rufus had put up with Lily and her schemes and accusations. Lily was always willing to blame somebody else for her problems, and never willing to blame herself even though herself was 99% of the time the person to blame. He just couldn't deal with it anymore. He and Lily were through. It was for the best. No matter how much it hurt to not have her in his life anymore, he just couldn't keep carrying on like this. He was tired of all the drama, and, at his age, he knew he shouldn't have to have any drama.

He left the apartment, and headed toward the gallery. Even so, whether or not them not being friends anymore was for the best, which is was, he knew it was going to be a while before he got over losing Lily as a friend. After all, a part of him would always love her. But sometimes things had to be done whether you liked it or not, and this was one of those times. Like it or not.

~Begin Again~

William smiled as he headed for Cassidy's place. After performing a bypass operation, he was on his lunch break. Of course, the main thing he was looking forward to devouring was Cassidy, as usual. He was really starting to like Cassidy. She was tough, and a take charge kind of woman. She was even more tough and take charge than Lily was! Not to mention she was sexy as hell. In fact, William had never met another woman like her in his life! He was crazy about her. Though, William wasn't quite sure what that meant. All her knew was that he wasn't in a rush to get rid of Cassidy any time soon, Lily or no Lily. Lily was number one in his heart always, but Cassidy was definitely right behind her!

He rang the button at Cassidy's apartment. A moment later, the door opened, and there stood Cassidy wearing nothing but a bra and underwear set made of green silk. "Hello, Sexy!" she said with a big grin, displaying her perfectly white teeth.

William grinned as well. "How did you know it was me?"

Cassidy put a hand on her hip, a confused look on her face. "What do you mean? I always open the door like this."

William didn't know what to say to that, and it wasn't often he was rendered speechless by _anyone_, let alone a woman.

Cassidy burst out laughing. "I'm kidding. I saw you through the window, Moron. Besides, I knew you were coming."

William grinned. "Not yet, but I will be." He pushed past her into the house. He loved it when she called him offensive names. In an odd way, he found it incredibly hot!

Cassidy smirked, and shook her head as she closed the door. She then turned to face him. "You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" she asked.

William shrugged. "I'm a good looking man, you're a hot woman. It's pretty self explanatory, isn't it?"

Cassidy nodded, a little smirk on her face. "Also the fact that we've been screwing each other senseless for almost a month now kind of leads us in that direction."

"If by direction you mean bedroom, then yes!" William said, wriggling his eyebrows up and down suggestively and grinning.

Cassidy rolled her eyes. "It's always about sex with you, isn't it?"

William shrugged. "Pretty much."

Cassidy's smirk broke into a full on grin. "You're my kind of man!"

William laughed, and roughly pulled her close. "You know, I really do love that on you. Is it new?"

"I got it last St. Patrick's Day to wear for my then boyfriend. But, you know what?" Cassidy asked.

"What?" William asked, an eyebrow raised.

Cassidy brushed her lips against his right ear. "You're way better in bed than he ever was, and much, _much_ more deserving of seeing me in this than he ever was," she purred sexily. She then licked up his ear.

William moaned, and placed his hands over her ribs. "So, do I get any kind of reward for that?" he asked, his tone full of the lust and desire he was feeling for her at the moment.

She smiled at him. "Isn't there always?"

He grinned his Cheshire Cat grin. "I was just making sure."

She grinned too, and took his hand, leading him to the bedroom.

Needless to say, all thoughts of Lily left William's mind. Actually, all thoughts of Lily had been gone the second he saw Cassidy in that little green silk bra and underwear set.

~Begin Again~

"Wow. I didn't think Rufus would ever cut you out of his life forever," Serena said in surprise. She sipped her coffee.

Lily nodded. "I couldn't believe it either. I mean, it was an honest mistake!" Lily had invited Serena to lunch, and Serena had agreed. Now, they were enjoying lunch together, and discussing Rufus. Lily had just filled Serena in on the whole falsely accusing Lisa situation. "You don't hate me for it, do you?" Lily then asked. She was becoming a little paranoid. If Rufus didn't understand, then what if others didn't either?

Serena smiled. "I'll be the first to admit, you go a little over the top sometimes. I mean, I'm not going to lie. You've interfered in my life on more than one occasion, and sometimes, it was downright wrong. Like putting Ben in jail when you knew darn well he was innocent."

"I know now that it was wrong. I was just trying to protect you. I didn't meant to... I don't know. I guess I just wasn't thinking clearly," Lily admitted.

Serena sighed, and took her mother's hand in her own from across the table. "I know, Mom. Your heart was in the right place even if your head wasn't. I know you did what you thought you had to do to protect me."

Lily nodded. "I did!"

"And I know that you really thought Lisa was cheating on Rufus, and you wanted to tell Rufus only because he deserved to know. You told him as a friend, and I totally get that. I would have done the same thing if I thought Chuck was cheating on Blair," Serena continued.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "And what about the necklace situation? Do you understand that?"

Serena grinned, looking like she might laugh, but she didn't laugh. Instead, she squeezed her mother's hand. "I find that more funny than anything. I think with your money, you could have just let it go, and let Dad buy you another one, like he said he would." Serena sighed. "But I know that wouldn't be you. It was an honest mistake, and I think a lot of people would have jumped to the same conclusion you did. Heck, probably myself included if I didn't know what kind of a person Lisa was."

Lily flinched at the last part, and tightly gripped her coffee cup.

Serena gave her a stern look. "Come on, Lisa's a nice person. She wouldn't steal anymore than I'd join the Army. Anyway, what I'm saying is, Rufus should have understood. I think it was just really bad timing after the whole falsely accusing Lisa of cheating incident."

Lily sighed. "Tell me about it!"

Serena shook her head. "I'm sure he'll come around. I wouldn't worry about it. He's not going to throw away years of history with you over something small like this. He just needs time to cool down, and get over it."

Lily shook her head, and took a sip of her coffee. "I don't know. You didn't see him. He was pretty angry."

Serena shrugged. "He'll get over it." She then grinned. "I wish I had been there to see the look on your face when Dad showed up with your necklace!"

Lily actually managed to crack a smile. "Shut up! That was _so_ embarrassing! I felt like a complete and utter jackass."

"I bet!" Serena said.

Lily shot her a look. "_Nice_."

Serena laughed as she sipped her coffee. Then, her eyes fixated upon something. "Uh oh." She put her coffee mug down.

"What?" Lily asked.

Serena nodded to something behind Lily.

Lily turned around to see what Serena was nodding toward, and her face paled as soon as she saw what Serena was looking at. Rufus and Lisa had just entered the restaurant, holding hands, and looking very much in love.

Lily turned back to the table. "Great! Of all the places and times, they had to chose to come here at this time."

"Maybe they won't notice us," Serena said.

Lily knew Serena was just trying to make her feel better. Though, even if Rufus and Lisa did notice them, Lily was pretty sure that Rufus would ignore them anyway. At least her.

"They're coming out way. The hostess is leading them over here," Serena said after a moment.

Lily sighed. "_Great_! Just great,"

"He's had a night to cool off. He's probably not as angry with you anymore. Besides, Lisa forgave you, so why shouldn't Rufus?" Serena asked.

"You don't know Rufus the way I do. When he's angry, he's _angry_," Lily stated.

"I guess we'll see now, won't we?" Serena asked as the hostess led Rufus and Lisa over to the table next to theirs.

"Of course!" Lily said under her breath. "Just my luck."

Lisa's face lit up when she saw Serena. She smiled brightly, and waved.

Serena smiled and waved as well. "Lisa! Rufus! Hi! Are you guys getting a quick lunch too?"

Lisa nodded. "Yeah. He's taking a brief break so we don't have to eat at the gallery this time." She winked.

"Well, that's good." Serena laughed. "What are the chances that we pick the same place to eat at the same time, and are seated next to each other?"  
"I know, right? And New York City is such a big place. I guess it's a small world no matter where you are," Lisa said.

"I guess _so_!" Serena agreed.

"Maybe we should get another table. This feels a bit crowded over here," Rufus said quietly to Lisa.

"It's not crowded! There's only you guys and us next to each other. Everyone else is across the way." Serena nodded toward the other side of the room where everyone else was seated.

"I'd just feel more comfortable sitting somewhere else is all," Rufus said calmly.

"Do you have a problem or something, Rufus? And I don't mean being over crowded. I mean, you didn't even say hello to us," Serena said a little coldly.

"I should have said hello to you, Serena. I'm sorry. Hello. How are you doing?" Rufus asked.

"I'd be doing a lot better if you'd stop being mean to my mother," Serena said simply.

"Serena, it's all right," Lily said quietly to her. She gently pat her daughter's hand.

"I'm sure she played the victim when she told you what happened," Rufus stated, not looking at Lily.

"No, she told me she was wrong, but she apologized to Lisa for it. Yet, I see you still are treating her like dirt!" Serena said.

"That's just it! She always apologizes, but she's never truly sorry. If she was, then she wouldn't be screwing up time and time again!" Rufus snapped.

"It was an honest mistake, Rufus! Lisa forgave her, so why can't you?" Serena asked.

"I've been putting up with her crap far longer than Lisa has," Rufus said calmly.

"Exactly! You've known and loved her for over twenty-five years, and you're just going to through it all away because of a misunderstanding about a necklace. You forgave her all those other times, but you can't now?" Serena snapped.

"You know, maybe we _should_ sit somewhere else. People are starting to stare," Lisa said quietly to Rufus.

"Fine by me!" Rufus said.

"You know, I'm _glad_ that Mom ended up with my dad. At least he is a lot more forgiving and understanding with her than you are. He also doesn't judge her, or make her feel guilty like you do," Serena said, shooting Rufus a dirty look.

Rufus shrugged. "That's because William is a scumbag! He's a full time jackass, so he supports Lily being one."

Lily couldn't take it any more. She was trying to hold back the tears, but hearing Rufus, a man who once claimed to love her, a man who she once thought was the love of her life, talking about her like that... She just couldn't hold back the tears any longer.

She stood up. "Excuse me," she managed to get out to Serena. She then pushed past Rufus and Lisa, accidentally bumping Rufus along the way, and ran to the bathroom.

Once she was in the bathroom, she headed into a stall, locked the door, then sat down on the toilet seat, and cried.

~Begin Again~

"Now look what you did? You made her cry! Mom _rarely_ cries. I hope you're proud of yourself!" Serena snapped.

Rufus looked away. He felt a little bad making Lily cry. Then again, with Lily, for all she knew, she could be faking it. He decided to voice his thought. "She's probably faking it to make me feel bad."

"Are you kidding me right now? Did you _see_ the look on her face and the tears in her eyes? I know my mother. She was _not_ faking it! You should know that too." Serena crossed her arms over her chest, and shot him a nasty look again.

"Well, she made Lisa cry last night, so we're even!" Rufus said, crossing his own arms over his chest.

"If your even then you can stop treating my mother like a piece of garbage," Serena said.

"I don't mean to be rude, but your mother's and my problems are between her and I. I don't want this to cause a friction between you and me. I will be civil to her, but I just can't be close to her anymore. I hope you can understand that," Rufus said to her. He didn't want to start a full on war. He didn't have any problems with Serena. He didn't want Serena having problems with him either. If she did, then Dan would have problems with him, and it would turn into a bigger mess than it had to be.

"Can we please just get along?" Lisa chimed in.

Serena looked from Rufus to Lisa, then back to Rufus. She sighed. "Fine, whatever. I just wish you'd be a little more understanding toward my mother. That's all. And, if I ever hear you talking badly about her again, there _will_ be friction between us. A _lot_ of friction. Got it?" Serena asked Rufus.

Rufus nodded. "I don't care to talk to her at all, but when I have to, I promise to be civil."

Serena nodded. "Good. Now maybe it _is_ best that you get another table."  
"We're on it," Lisa said, taking Rufus' arm, and dragging him back to the hostess station.

"I appreciate you standing up for me, but you don't have to be rude to Lily," Lisa said to Rufus. Her tone wasn't accusing. It was more like she was giving him permission to be nice to Lily.

"I won't be rude to her anymore. She just makes me so angry sometimes!" Rufus said.

"May we please be seated on the other end of the restaurant?" Lisa politely asked the hostess.

The hostess smiled at her. "Of course!" She then lead them to a table that was thankfully, not anywhere near Serena and Lily's table.

They thanked the hostess, then Rufus helped Lisa into her chair.

Once he sat down across from her, he looked up and saw Lily in the distance, walking back to Serena's and her table.

He sighed.

~BA~

All right. So maybe I was a little harsh on Lily. But, she deserved it! Even so, I'll admit, when I saw her eyes fill with tears, there was a brief moment—a _very_ brief moment, but a moment nonetheless—that I felt bad. In fact, the old me, the me that was once in love with her, wanted to apologize, take her into my arms, and kiss her. But the moment quickly passed. After all, I had changed. I wasn't the same man that was once head over heels in love with her. I know it sounds harsh, but she is always messing up. At almost fifty, she should know better than that. Heck, even _Blair_ grew up, and Lily's still acting the way Blair acted when Blair was in her twenties. It was pathetic, and I wasn't going to put up with it anymore. I shouldn't have to! Being with Lily even as just a friend felt more like I was raising a daughter instead of being in a relationship with her, or being her friend.

I don't know. She's not a bad person. It's just that drama follows that woman like a shadow. At my age, I don't need that much drama in my life. Actually, come to think of it, nobody does, no matter _what_ age they are! [Sigh.] Lily is always getting under my skin, and it's time that I stop letting her. It's long overdo.

~BA~

"Are you okay?" Lisa asked, placing her hands over Rufus' from across the table.

He looked up at her, and put on his best smile. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Lisa raised en eyebrow at him. "Well, let's see. You just saw Lily, whom you were trying to avoid, Serena told you off, and now you're staring off into space, looking crushed, and not answering me even though I asked you five times what you were going to order."

"I was not looking sad. It's just the expression I get when I'm zoning," Rufus insisted.

"And why were you zoning?" Lisa smirked, and raised her eyebrow again.

"It's not because of Lily, if that's what you're thinking," Rufus lied. "I'm just worried about the customers I'm missing out on taking care of while I take this long lunch break. Where is our waiter?" He looked around, hoping that Lisa bought it.

"That's why you really need to hire help. This way, you won't have to worry about it. Anyway, I'm sure if they really want a painting that badly, they'll come back," Lisa assured him.

Rufus barely heard her. He was too busy watching Lily. She was picking at her food, and looking miserable. It was unlike her. She usually didn't let things get to her like that.

"Rufus, are you ready to order? You were in such a hurry, now you're zoning again."

Rufus looked over at the sound of Lisa's voice. The waiter was there, and judging by the way the waiter and Lisa were both staring at him, it was his turn to order. He had no idea what he wanted. He didn't even remember looking over his menu. "Um, I'll have what she's having," he said, nodding toward Lisa.

"But Rufus, you hate veggie burgers," Lisa said, sounding confused.

"I'll have a cheeseburger, please," he corrected himself.

The waiter wrote it down. He then smiled at them. "All right! I'll go put your order in, and it should be out shortly!" He grabbed their menus, and left.

"I'm sorry. I don't know where my head is today," Rufus said to Lisa with a blush.

Lisa smiled weakly. "I do." She glanced over toward Lily's direction.

Rufus looked down at his lap in shame.

~Begin Again~

"I honestly don't know why he gets to me. If he wants to be an ass, then so be it! He's clearly no longer the man I once married." Lily took a sip of her coffee.

"I told him off when you were in the bathroom. He still doesn't want to talk to you, but he agreed to be civil to you when he has to. Gosh, I don't know why he's acting so immature. I honestly thought he'd be over it by now," Serena said.

"This is what I had to live with those years that he and I were together. You'd think I'd be used to it by now. Anyway, thank you for sticking up for me." Lily sighed. "But, you know what? In the end, I think Rufus and I no longer speaking is for the best. Maybe this is the way we can finally make each other happy," Lily stated.

"I know for a fact that you two were once very happy together," Serena said.

"Yeah, well, that was a very long time ago," Lily said simply. She downed the rest of her coffee. "Okay, that was my second cup. I think I'm good."

"Do you want to get dessert?" Serena asked, dabbing her face with a napkin.

Lily shook her head. "Can we get it somewhere else? I just feel uncomfortable with Rufus here."

Serena sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "Sure."

"Thank you," Lily said. She glanced over and saw Rufus looking at her.

They both quickly looked away.

"I swear you two both still act like you're in high school," Serena said, having caught the exchange.

Lily blushed, and looked down to her lap. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, toying with her white cloth napkin.

~Begin Again~

"William, I was thinking. I know we've only been dating for a month, but how does going away together for Valentine's Day sound to you?" Cassidy asked. She was cuddled up next to him in bed. She kissed his chest, then ran her hand slowly down it.

He took her hand, and kissed it. "Well, I'm not sure how much time off I can get from my job on this late of notice. I could probably manage getting the weekend off though."

She grinned. "We wouldn't have to go far. I mean, maybe we could take a quick flight to Cabo Wednesday after you get out of work. We could have all day Thursday, Friday and Saturday to enjoy Cabo, and you can return to work on Sunday."

"I have Saturdays and Sundays off anyway, so if we go after work on Wednesday, I'd only have to take Thursday and Friday off. I could even try to get out of work early on Wednesday. As for Sunday, since I'd already have off, we wouldn't have to rush back." The more William thought about spending Valentine's Day in Mexico with Cassidy, who was not only hot, but a borderline nymphomaniac, the less spending a boring old Valentine's Day with Lily, who wasn't half as good in bed as Cassidy was, appealed to him.

"It would be great if you can get off early on Wednesday," Cassidy said, nipping at his neck now.

William closed his eyes, and moaned. "I'll talk to my boss when I get back to work. I'm sure I can work it out."

"You won't regret this trip," Cassidy purred into his ear as her hand slowly slid down his chest to below his waist. "I can promise you that," she then purred, her hand meeting its goal.

William moaned, and licked his lips. He slightly whimpered. "Oh, I have no doubt about it!"

They grinned, looking into each other's eyes. They then kissed.

Then, Cassidy giggled, and moved so that she was now on top of William, straddling him. She kissed down his neck.

William moaned again, knowing she was just getting started. She gently dug his fingers into her back. "I love being me," he moaned.

Cassidy grinned in response.

~Begin Again~

"You pamper me too much," Lily said as she and William sat at the best table in her favorite restaurant. William had called from work and told her that he had made reservations for that night at six. When he came home at five, he had not one, but two dozen red thornless roses to give to her. Now, they were seated at the best table of her favorite restaurant, him just having ordered the most expensive (and best) bottle of red wine on the menu.

William raised an eyebrow at her. "Do I?"

Lily shook her head. "Of course not! I was just trying to be polite." She grinned.

He grinned too. "Good because I thought you might think me giving you this present was too much."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What present?"

William took something out of his inside coat pocket, and placed it down in front of Lily. It was a little golden box.

Lily snatched the box off the table, and opened the box. She gasped when she saw the two, teardrop-shaped diamond earrings resting on a bed of black velvet.

"They are set in twenty-four karat gold and the diamonds are twenty-four carats. I figured they'd go excellent with your necklace," William explained.

Lily looked up at him. "William! What did I do to deserve such an extravagant gift?"

William smiled at her. "As I've told you many times before, you make me happier than I've ever been in my life. You're the love of my life, and you took me back when you had no reason to. That's more than enough to deserve a gift like that I'd say."

Lily had tears in her eyes. "Well, thank you so much! I absolutely love them!"

"Just don't let Lisa see them. I wouldn't want you to be tempted to accuse her of anything," William then teased.

The look of shock on Lily's face was priceless. William couldn't help but laugh. "The look on your face!" he said, tears of laughter in his eyes.

Lily pouted. "Not funny!" However, she couldn't hold her serious expression for long, for her pout soon turned into a smirk. She shook her head, and smiled bigger. "You're such a jerk!" she teased.

He laughed once more. "I'm sorry, my Love. Sometimes you just have to laugh at the things that happen to us, you know?"

Lily nodded, and put on a smile, though it didn't look as full-hearted this time. William knew she was probably missing Rufus, and thinking of how she was no longer allowed in his life. William also knew that she'd eventually get over it.

Their wine arrived then, and the waiter poured them each a glass. They then ordered what they wanted to eat.

"All right! I'll put your order in, and your food will be out shortly," the waiter said, flashing his perfect white teeth.

William figured now that they had their wine, it would be a good idea to bring up the Valentine's Day situation. "I have to admit, I wasn't being a hundred percent honest about the reason I gave you the earrings, or this night of pampering."

Lily paused from sipping her wine. She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

William nodded. "Don't get me wrong. I meant every word about why you deserve it. You _do_ deserve it. It's just that I'm also trying to soften the blow a bit." As it turned out, he was able to get off work early the Wednesday before Valentine'a Day, and he was able to score Thursday and Friday off as well. He just happened to have a colleague who owed him. He had worked for said colleague when said colleague had wanted to do a weekend camping trip with his buddies last fall. Now it was time for his colleague to pay him back.

Lily set her glass of wine down, her expression turning to one of worry. "What is it?" she asked, looking into his eyes. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

William sighed. He hoped that his own trip with Lily to celebrate Valentine's Day early would be enough to stifle her anger. "Well, my boss just informed me that we have a medical conference coming up from Wednesday to Sunday."

"I'll miss you, but that's not so bad," Lily said before sipping her wine.

William sighed. "It's the week of Valentine's Day."

"No!" Lily exclaimed, setting down her glass. "Not Valentine's Day! It was bad enough I didn't have you on New Year's Eve!" She slapped her palms down onto the red cloth-covered table.

William sighed. "I know, and I'm sorry! I tried to get out of it, Lily. I really did! But it's mandatory. They knew no one would go if it wasn't. I'd invite you to come along, but I'd be in meetings all day long, and you'd be bored. Besides, the board doesn't encourage spouses coming along. They think it'd be too distracting."

"Why does it have to be over Valentine's Day anyway? Aren't these things usually over a weekend instead of the middle of the week?" Lily asked.

William nodded. "Usually, they start later int he week, but I guess there's a lot to discuss, for they added on those two extra days. I'm really sorry about this, Lily. I know it sucks. I know I'm not the only one who isn't happy about the dates. Practically everyone on my floor was complaining, and I'm sure everyone else was too. Except for the single ones."

"So it's yet another holiday we can't spend together. This is the most important one too," Lily said with a pout. She looked like she was about to cry. "This year is just not going well at all so far." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well, I was thinking... Who says we have to celebrate Valentine's Day on the 14th? Why don't you and I fly out to Bermuda? We can leave This Friday after I get out of work. We can have a later dinner in Bermuda that night, and enjoy our evening, We'll have all night Friday and all day and night Saturday to enjoy Bermuda. Heck, we can even get a later flight out on Sunday, and have most of the day Sunday to enjoy Bermuda was well. We can celebrate our own early Valentine's Day on Saturday. How does that sound?" William placed his hands overtop of Lily's on the table, and gave her hands a gentle squeeze.

Lily searched his eyes for a moment, as if she were debating on whether or not she should settle for his replacement Valentine's Day offer. Finally, after a moment, she sighed. "Oh, all right. I suppose it's better than nothing even though it won't be quite the same."

"Great! I'll book everything as soon as we get home." William raised en eyebrow at her. "Are you mad?"

Lily sighed. "No, it's not your fault." She smiled at him. "And you're going out of your way to have a makeup Valentine's Day. So, how could I be mad?"

William took her right hand in his and kissed the back of it. "Thank you for understanding. And I prefer to call it a 'Make out' Valentine's Day instead of 'Make up' Valentine's Day." We winked at her and grinned.

Lily laughed. "We better be doing more than making out, my Darling!"

"Mm, you bet your ass we will be!" William said.

Lily laughed even harder.

William laughed with her.

Lily then picked up her wine glass, and tipped it toward him. "To the best non-Valentine's Day ever."

William picked up his glass, and tipped it to hers, therefore clinking the two glasses together. "To the best non-Valentine's Day ever!" he agreed.

They drank up, their eyes locked as they drank, and smirks on their faces.

_And to an even better, sex-filled actual Valentine's Day with Cassidy,_ William thought to himself. He had called Cassidy as soon as he had confirmed his getting out early on Wednesday and getting Thursday and Friday off, and he knew that by now, Cassidy would have everything booked and ready to go.

_Hello, Bermuda,_ he thought, _and_ _**hello**__, Cabo!_

He set his wine glass down, and licked his lips at the thought, the grin on his face making him look like the Cheshire Cat had just devoured a canary. In fact, it kind of felt like he was that Cheshire Cat who had just swallowed the canary, for he was very much feeling satisfied. Satisfied indeed.

~Begin Again~

"Mm, you smell good. What perfume is that?" Rufus asked Lisa as they lie kissing in bed.

Lisa kissed down his collarbone before responding. "It's Stella McCartney's L.I.L.Y." She then blushed when the ironicalness of the name hit her. "I just picked it out because it smelled pretty. I got it last year."

"Good choice! It smells really nice on you." Rufus kissed from her neck to down over her right shoulder blade as flashes of Lily suddenly filled his mind. For some reason, he was taken back to a windy fall day he had spent with Lily years ago.

_They had gone shopping, not realizing how cold it was going to end up getting. By the time they finished their shopping and came out of the last store, it was practically a wind storm out there. Lily was laughing because her hair kept blowing in her face, and she could barely see where she was going. Her hands were laden down with bags, so she asked Rufus to push her hair out of her face for her. Rufus had paused to take a picture of her on his iphone first. She had looked so beautiful. There was just something about the way she looked with her hair blowing all around her like a halo. It was one of those moments that he had to just stop and appreciate her beauty._

"Um, I think my right shoulder is good and kissed now. I think it's safe to move onto my other one now."

Lisa's voice had broken him from his flashback. He looked at her, wondering why she was smirking. "Huh?"

"You've been kissing the same shoulder in the same spot for the last thirty seconds. What gives?" Lisa asked, sounding just slightly annoyed.

Rufus blushed. "I'm sorry. I just had my mind on something else."

"Something or some_one_?" Lisa asked.

Again, Rufus blushed. "It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it." He quickly moved so that Lisa was pinned beneath him instead of on top of him where she had been previously. "You look so incredibly sexy in that pink nightgown of yours, and the perfume makes you smell so good, I want to devour you."

Lisa giggled. "My perfume smells like lilies. Would you really want to eat lilies?"

This question made Rufus think of something that he knew Lisa would most definitely not approve of. In fact, he didn't approve of it himself. He wanted, no he _needed_ to get Lily out of his mind before he went insane. His eyes lowered with desire for Lisa. "The only thing I want to eat is you." He grinned, and wriggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Lisa giggled again. "Well, then, by all means, what are you waiting for?"

Rufus lowered his eyes even more, completely overcome with lust for Lisa now. "Absolutely nothing!" he said. He clicked off the lights, then went to work satisfying his appetite, and forcing himself to concentrate on Lisa, and only Lisa.

~Begin Again~

Lily wasn't exactly thrilled with the knowledge that she wouldn't be spending Valentine's Day with her husband, or rather, he wouldn't be spending it with her, but she was looking forward to this weekend getaway to Bermuda nonetheless.

"Do you have everything you need?" William asked, hugging her from behind. It was the night before they were to leave, and she was just now packing her things.

She smiled over her shoulder at him. "I think so. All I have left to pack is my swimsuit."

"Please tell me it's a bikini," William said.

Lily grinned. "I just bought a new coral-colored one for the trip!"

"Yes! There is a God!" William said, looking up Heavenward.

Lily laughed. She then turned around, and pulled him in for a kiss.

William moaned, and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. He then took her suitcase off the bed, and set it on the floor before going back to kissing her passionately.

"Wait!" Lily said, breaking the kiss.

William groaned. "What?" he wined.

With a sly smile, Lily headed over to her chest of drawers, and pulled open one of the middle ones. She then took out her coral bikini. "I have to pack this before I forget it."

"We wouldn't want that now! Then again, if you don't have a swimsuit, you'll have to swim naked. So maybe you should leave it home," William joked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You're such a pervert!" she said, but the smile on her face showed she really didn't mind.

William shrugged, and sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey, I know what I like!" He grinned.

Lily smiled as she placed her bikini in her suitcase, then zipped the suitcase up. "There!" she said, standing back up. "I'm all packed!" She turned to face William. "Are you?"

William pulled her down into his lap, and kissed her quickly on the lips. "Of course I am! I finished packing yesterday. It doesn't take men as long to pack as it does for women. Men don't feel the need to try so hard to look good."

"Obviously," Lily said, looking up and down his body.

William play gasped. "Thanks a lot!"

Lily laughed. "You know I'm just teasing you." She took his face between her hands, and kissed him passionately. Her eyes were lowered with love for him as she spoke. "You're the sexiest man alive, and you know it!"

"And you're the sexiest _woman_ alive," he told her, his own eyes lowered with love for her.

They kissed, slowly at first, then more passionately.

Soon, William had her pinned down onto the bed below him.

Lily reached over to turn the lights out, but William stopped her. "No. Let's keep them on this time."

Lily grinned. "It's a little kinky for our age, don't you think?"

William shook his head. "Darling, you're _never_ to old to be kinky!"

"Good point!" Lily said with a grin.

William grinned too.

Then, they had at it.

Lily loved making love with William. It helped her forget all of her problems, and lately, she knew she had many. She had been so down and out lately, thinking about being gone from Rufus' life. Though, she had a feeling though, she would soon get over it. Between William and the wonderful trip she was about to go on with him, she had no doubt it would be a piece of cake to forget about Rufus. Well, she'd forget about him until the trip was over with at least. As for after the trip, well, she'd cross that bridge when she got to it.

~Begin Again~

"Hey, Dan, it's your father," Rufus said. He had just called Dan up to see if he wanted to do dinner. It was a Friday night, so he knew Dan and Serena probably already had plans, but it had been a while since he'd seen him, and he really wanted to have a father son night out.

"Really? I thought it was the president. Darn!" Dan said sarcastically.

"Well, you don't have to be smart about it," Rufus said, a little hurt.

Dan laughed. "Dad, for one, I have caller ID. For two, I know your voice by now. If I didn't, there'd be something seriously wrong with me."

Rufus nodded, even though he knew Dan couldn't see him nod. "Good point. Anyway, I haven't seen you in a while, and was wondering if you wanted to go out for dinner tonight. It's been a while since we've seen each other, and I miss you. I know you probably already have plans, but—"

Dan cut Rufus off. "Serena and I don't really have any plans. I can do dinner with you. Is Serena invited?"

"I actually just wanted it to be a father son thing. Lisa mentioned wanting to do dinner and a movie with Serena though. Apparently, there's some new chick flick they had been wanting to see together."

"Well, then sure. Whatever gets me out of going to a chick flick!" Dan said.

"I hear ya!" Rufus said.

They both laughed.

"So, what time do you want to get together?" Dan asked.

"Say we meet here around six?" Rufus asked.

"Sounds good! See you then," Dan said.

"Great! I'll be looking forward to it. See you then," Rufus said.

They hung up.

"Well, I just got off the phone with Serena. She just has to stop by Lily's first to water her plants for her and check up on the apartment, then she'll meet me at The Hard Rock at six for dinner," Lisa said, coming into the room a moment later.

"Water her plants and check up on the apartment? Are Lily and William off somewhere?" Rufus didn't care, he told himself. He was just curious.

"Yeah! Serena told me that William has a medical conference over Valentine's Day, so they left for Bermuda last evening after he got out of work. They're staying until Sunday. It's an early Valentine's Day celebration for them," Lisa explained.

Rufus clenched his fists, and sat down at the island. "That scumbag can't even spend Valentine's Day with her?"

"Wow, I thought you were mad at Lily," Lisa said.

Rufus nodded. "I am. But I still think it's a crappy thing for him to do to his wife."

Lisa sighed. "Well, I think those medical conferences are mandatory. Yeah, it sucks that it's over Valentine's Day, but there's nothing he can do about it, really."

Rufus ignored her. "Of course he'd take her to Bermuda. There he goes, throwing his money around again."

Lisa crossed her arms over her chest. "Sheesh! You really don't like that guy, do you? First you bitch him out for leaving Lily on Valentine's Day, then you bitch him out for making it up to her!"

"He's just an all around ass, okay?" Rufus snapped. He noticed the hurt look on Lisa's face, and his expression softened. "I'm sorry." He gently stroked her left cheek with the back of his hand. "I didn't mean to snap."  
"It's all right," Lisa said

Rufus kissed her cheek. "We still have a couple hours before we get together with Dan and Serena. Wanna go for a walk in the park? It's surprisingly warm out today."

Lisa nodded. "It is, isn't it? It feels like spring!"

Rufus nodded, and stood up. "It sure does." She took her hand, and kissed it. "So, a walk, Beautiful?"

Lisa kissed his hand in return. "A walk, Handsome," she said with a smile

He smiled too, and they kissed on the lips. "Hey, he then said as they headed for the door. "Maybe, if we're lucky, William will get lost in the Bermuda Triangle!"

Lisa giggled, and playfully swatted his arm. "You're so bad!"

Rufus grinned. _And maybe, if Lily gets lost in the Bermuda Triangle, I can finally get her out of my mind_, he silently added. One could only hope.


	8. I Love Valentine's Day

**Begin Again**

** Episode 8: I Love Valentine's Day**

"And then the purple elephant gave me a kiss before flying off into the sunset," Dan said as he ate dinner with Rufus. Rufus wasn't doing much talking on his own. Dan was doing most of the talking, and even then, all Dan got out of him was a grunt here or there. Sometimes not even that. Dan thought that maybe using a crazy line would snap Rufus back tot he conversation, because clearly, his mind was on something else that night.

"That's nice," Rufus said, taking a bite of his steak before stabbing his fork hard into the next piece.

"You're not hearing anything I say, are you?" Dan asked.

"Huh?" Rufus asked, looking up at him, which he had only done a handful of times that night.

Dan smirked at him. "I just told you that a purple elephant gave me a kiss before flying off into the sunset, and it didn't phase you in the slightest."

Rufus blushed, and looked back down at his plate. "Sorry. I just have a lot on my mind tonight."

"Like Lilly?" Dan asked.

Rufus looked up at him again. "_No_, I'm not thinking about Lily. I'm just hoping my new shipment comes in at the gallery tomorrow. It's already a day late. I hate making my customer's wait. It makes _me_ look bad."

"Right. Are you sure that's all it is?" Dan asked, noticing Rufus stabbing another piece of steak so roughly the fork sliced right through it and clanged against the bottom of the plate. He nodded at the steak. "For the record, the cow's already dead. You don't have to kill it."

Rufus dropped his fork. "I just can't stand that guy!"

Dan sighed, and sat back in his chair. And there is was. What was bothering him. Or rather, _who_. "I'm going take a lucky guess here, and guess that you mean William?"

Rufus nodded. "Who else would I mean?" he grumbled.

"Why do you hate the guy so much?" Dan asked.

"Are you forgetting what he did to Lily?" Rufus asked.

"Well, he seems to have changed, and apparently he's making Lily very happy again." Dan took a sip of his soda.

"Oh, please! Not you too! A man like that never changes! William is never what he seems. In fact, whenever William seems to be at his best, he is secretly at his worst. I'm sure he has something crooked going on that Lily doesn't know about. Heck, for all I know, he's selling drugs." Rufus stabbed another piece of steak, and shoved it into his mouth.

Dan snorted. "Why would a rich doctor need to sell drugs?"

"He doesn't need to, Dan, but he can. He'd do it for the excitement. I don't think it's all that far-fetched. I mean, if you think about it, he's a doctor. He can get ahold of any drug he wants." Rufus took a sip of his wine.

Dan smirked. "I don't think hospitals carry illegal substances."

Rufus shrugged. "They may not carry cocaine, but the carry morphine. You'd be surprised at how many people are willing to buy morphine."

Dan raised an eyebrow at his father. "And you would know this how?"

"I just know. Everyone knows it," Rufus said simply.

Dan fought to not roll his eyes. Lily was making his father crazy even after he had cut her out of his life.

With a sigh, he took another sip of his soda, wishing he had chosen something with alcohol in it instead. After all, he had a feeling it was going to be a long night. He was going to need it.

~BA~

Thankfully, the waiter came back just then, and I was able to order some wine as well. Once the waiter left, I sipped it while my father continued carrying on about William.

"It still bothers me that he ditched Lily on New Year's Eve, and now he's ditching her again on Valentine's Day, the most romantic holiday of all." My father forked his last piece of steak, and chewed it roughly.

"Well, he did have a good reason. He had a mandatory medical conference. And he _is_ making it up to her. I mean, if you ask me, Bermuda seems like a pretty sweet deal." I took another sip of his wine. My father was just angry that William was on a romantic getaway with Lily, and I knew it. He did too. He just didn't care to admit it.

My father swallowed his last bite of steak, and took a sip of his own wine before responding. "Whose side are you on anyway?"

I smirked. "I didn't realize there were any sides to take."

"It's just that you seem to be sticking up for William," my father said, looking me in the eyes now, a serious expression on his face.

"Dad, he's my father-in-law. He is Serena's _father_. If I let there be conflict between Serena's father and me, then there will be conflict between Serena and me, and I can't let that happen. Look, to tell you the truth, I'm not that fond of the guy either, but there's nothing I can do about it. Things are what they are, and there's no use getting all angry and upset over them. Besides, I thought you were so over Lily." I finished the last bite of my pasta, waiting for his annoyed response. I knew he was getting annoyed. He always did if you tried to talk to him about something he didn't want to talk about.

"I _am_ over her! In fact, I'm more than over her. It still doesn't mean I think she deserves a scumbag like William. That guy is bad news. No woman deserves that no matter how much of a pain in the ass they are." My father downed the last bit of his wine after his last statement.

"Why is the fact that she is with him bothering you now? She's been back together with him for five years, and married to him for two of those years." I shook my head. My father could sure act crazy sometimes. Lily certainly wasn't the only one. In fact, they made each other crazy.

"I never liked it. I just learned to put up with it. But there's only so much putting up with things before you can no longer put up with them," he responded. He crossed his arms over his chest, the expression on his face all around sour now.

"Dad, are you sure you want to marry Lisa?" I asked. I knew his response wouldn't be friendly, but it had to be asked. I think the fact that he was marrying again, and the fact that it really would be over for him and Lily once he got married was what was triggering this sudden hatred of William being with Lily. It was bringing up unresolved feelings for Lily that he obviously still had, and he hated that another man was with her, whether he wanted to admit it or not. It was the only logical explanation.

"What kind of question is that, Dan? Of course I want to marry Lisa! I wouldn't have asked her to marry me if I didn't." Dad scowled. "Gosh, you sound just like your stepmother!"

Wow. I wasn't expecting that! I raised an eyebrow at my father. "Um, Dad, Lily hasn't been my step mother for over five years. Unless you have a new wife I don't know about? Because it you do, you can't marry Lisa. Being a bigamist isn't legal in the US."

"It's a force of habit. You know what I mean," Dad grumbled, the annoyance ever so apparent in his voice now.

I took another sip of my wine. I felt bad for Lisa. He clearly never lost his feelings for Lily. The problem was, it was too late to get her back now. Lily was happily married to William, and my father was about to marry Lisa. I just hoped that after he married Lisa, his feelings for Lily would start to fade. If they didn't, there would be a bigger mess made than any of us wanted to clean up. Heck, I don't even know if it could be cleaned up if we tried.

~BA~

Dan decided to drop the conversation about Lily after that. He knew his father wasn't going to confess his true feelings for Lily any time soon. Besides, he didn't want to ruin their father son night. It _had_ been a while since they had last had one, and Dan just wanted to enjoy the night. Thankfully, Rufus snapped out of his mood once dessert arrived.

"I can't believe they have waffles sundaes here! Where has this place been all my life?" Rufus asked, digging into the huge pile of ice cream that was on top of an even huger waffle that was a good three times as wide as a regular waffle, and four times as thick.

Dan rolled his eyes, but grinned nonetheless. "That sounds absolutely disgusting! Waffles with ice cream, hot fudge, and caramel?"

"And whipped cream and a cherry. Don't forget the whipped cream and a cherry," Rufus said, his mouthful of vanilla bean ice cream.

"I'm surprised they didn't put sprinkles on it," Dan said, looking at the sundae in disgust.

Rufus' eyes lit up. "Oh my gosh, that sounds so good! I'll have to ask the waiter if they have any."

Dan's expression of disgust turned to an even more disgusted expression. "That's disgusting, Dad."

Rufus looked up at him and shrugged. "What? It's good! Don't knock it till you try it."

"No thank you. I'll pass," Dan said, giving the waffle sundae one last disgusted look before going back to his brownie sundae. "Mm!" he said after taking a bite, "Now _this_ is good. Brownies are what you put ice cream on. Not waffles."

Rufus shot him a look. "Never dis a waffle of any kind, Son. It's sacrilegious."

Dan rolled his eyes again, but laughed despite his eye roll, and shook his head. He had forgotten how much he enjoyed father son time. He was glad that Rufus was in a better mood now. Things were so much better. Now, if he could just keep Lily of his father's mind for the rest of the night, things should continue to be fine, he knew. He just wished it wasn't such a seemingly impossible task.

~Begin Again~

"Mm, I must say, this is _so _worth not spending Valentine's Day together. Lying on the beach, and being warm instead of freezing is definitely an amazing Valentine's Day. Who cares if it's a week early?" Lily said as she lay on a towel on her stomach, the sun hitting her back.

William sighed with contentment. He was lying in a lounge chair beside her, his head propped against his hands, and his sunglasses on, protecting his eyes from the harsh UV rays shining down on him. There were hot young bikini-clad girls splashing around in the water, and some even walked right by him, flashing him their beautiful smiles. A lot of the bikinis were string bikinis—thongs included. This was definitely his idea of a great Valentine's Day, and he knew his one with Cassidy would be even better. "Yes, I could definitely get used to this," he said.

"So, where is your conference next week? I didn't even think to ask," Lily asked then.

William knew he had to think quick. "It's in Chicago. I doubt it will be as nice there as it is here. I'll probably freeze my ass off."

Lily grinned. "Well, it _is_ the windy city. I have to admit, I'm kind of glad you won't be warm and having a great time without me on Valentine's Day."

William smirked. _If she only knew..._ he thought. "Trust me, I'm going to be cold as Antarctica when I'm not in the conference, and bored as hell when I _am_ in the conference." _More like things are gonna be hot as hell in bed with Cassidy. And there will be nothing boring about it,_ he thought, the excitement of the upcoming weekend sending butterflies in his stomach.

"I'm getting hungry," Lily announced, now sitting up on her blanket.

"What time is it?" William asked, feeling too lazy to move.

Lily reached into her beach bag, and pulled out her iphone. "It's six o'clock."

"I guess we better be going then. We have an hour before we have to make our dinner reservations. I don't know about you, but I need to shower before I get ready," William said, getting out of his lounge chair, and gathering up his things.

Lily nodded. "Me too." She got up, and began gathering up her things as well.

Soon, they were headed back to the hotel.

"You go on up and take your shower. I have to talk to the front desk about something. I'll meet you up there," William said to her once they got back into the lobby.

"What do you have to talk to them about? I can wait for you," Lily said.

"It's a Valentine's Day surprise. It would be best if you just went up without me." William winked at her.

Lily grinned, and pulled him in for a kiss. "You're so good to me! See you up stairs!" She then pulled him closer, and purred into his ear, her lips brushing against it, You can join me in the shower if you don't take too long. You know, to conserve energy and water." She smiled and winked at him.

William licked his lips, eyeing her breasts. Her suit was nice and low-cut. "Sounds good. I won't be long. I promise."

Lily kissed him once more, and then headed off to the elevators.

As soon as Lily was on the elevator with the doors closed, William headed to the front desk.

"I just wanted to make sure everything we talked about earlier is still a go," he said.

The man behind the front desk smiled. "But of course, Mr. van der Woodsen! Everything will be all set up by the time you and your wife return to your room after dinner."

"Excellent! Thank you. I'm just going to go ahead and pay you now for everything." William took out his wallet, and dished out five one hundred dollar bills. "There's a little extra something in there for your work," he said with a wink.

The man nodded his thanks as he tucked the money into his pocket. "Thank you, Sir."

William then turned and headed for the elevators. He smiled at a beautiful brunette along the way who looked to be in her thirties. She was sitting on the couch, her legs crossed, watching him.

He nodded at her. "Hello!"

"Hey!" She said cheerily.

"Are you waiting on your boyfriend?" he asked her with a wink.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend. I'm waiting for my best friend. We're supposed to be going out to dinner, but she always takes forever and a day to get ready," the girl said, rolling her eyes at her friend's slowness.

"Feel like getting a drink? I have a little time to kill myself. Unfortunately, I have a friend with me who takes forever to get ready as well." William winked at her.

The girl raised an eyebrow. "You buying?"

"But of course! I'm a gentleman, you know, and gentlemen never make a woman buy her own drink." He winked grinned at her again.

She grinned, and stood up. "Then, by all means, let's head to the bar! I'm Shelley by the way."

"And I'm William. It's nice to meet you, Shelley," William said as they headed to the hotel's bar.  
"Nice to meet you too, William," Shelley purred. She smiled at him, and grabbed his left hand in her right hand.

William smiled at her, and kissed her hand. He knew he was supposed to be showering with Lily, but this girl was too hot to pass up! Besides, he knew he'd have plenty of time to shower with Lily (among other things) later. Anyway, what kind of man would he be if he passed a great opportunity like this one up? Stupid, that's what. And if there was one thing he wasn't, it was stupid.

~Begin Again~

Rufus was glad that the topic of Lily had finally dropped from his and Dan's conversation. He didn't like being told what to do, or what not to do, and he _certainly_ didn't like to be told what he felt. He was the only person who could possibly know what he felt inside. And what he felt for Lily was annoyance, anger, resentment, and platonic love. And the platonic love was only left over from all their years together. He'd admit, he did still care about Lily as a person and the mother of one of his children, but that was as far as it went. It was as far as it would ever go. He had absolutely no romantic feelings for Lily left. He loved Lisa, and he was sick and tired of people trying to insinuate otherwise. He was especially sick of Lily trying to cause trouble between him and Lisa, which is exactly why he now wanted nothing to do with Lily. He loved Lisa with all his heart. Lisa was the most perfect woman for him. She was better than any other woman he had ever been with. He was not about to let anyone take her away from him—especially not Lily.

Anyway, they were at the theater now, having decided to see a movie of their own, only a more manly one.

Rufus got in line for the popcorn.

"Seriously, Dad? You still want to eat after dinner and that giant waffle sundae you just ate?" Dan asked in shock.

Rufus looked at him blankly. "What? Everyone knows a movie's more enjoyable with popcorn. That's why they sell popcorn at the movies. Hello!"

Dan rolled his eyes. "No wonder you're up a size on pants."

"I am not!" Rufus lied.

"Then how come I ran into Lisa the other day at Bloomingdale's, and she was buying you a size bigger than your normal size?"

Rufus held his head high. "She must have read the size wrong." He was next in line, so he bought his popcorn, and pretended Dan wasn't there. So what if he gained a pant size? It's not like it showed.

"One medium popcorn please with extra butter and salt. And a medium Pepsi, please," he ordered. He looked to his side where Dan was. "Do you want a drink at least?"

"I guess I'll have a Pepsi to go with the popcorn I'll be sharing with you," Dan said with a shrug.

"Excuse me, but weren't you just getting on my case about eating so much?" Rufus asked him, an eyebrow raised.

Dan shrugged. "I don't want you to have to eat alone. I'm being considerate. Besides, I can afford to pack on the pounds, unlike you."

"Such a nice son I have," Rufus said sarcastically. He turned back to the girl behind the counter, who had just given him his popcorn and soda. "I guess I'll take another medium Pepsi," he said.

"Sure!" the girl said, heading straight for he soda fountain. A moment later, she came back. "Would you like anything else?"

"Maybe some Sour Patch Kids," Dan answered for Rufus.

Rufus shook his head at him. "I don't believe you."

Dan grinned at him, and took out his money. "It's on me."

"You don't have to," Rufus said, reaching for his own wallet.

"I know, but I want to." Dan payed the girl the money.

"Well, thank you," Rufus said to him, putting his wallet back. He then turned to the girl behind the counter. "And thank you..." He looked at her name tag. "Lily."

"You're very welcome!" the girl said with a cheery smile.

Rufus headed into the theater with Dan then. "Of all names," he grumbled underneath his breath.

Dan either didn't hear him, or pretended not to. "Is the fourth row from the front okay?" Dan asked, pausing outside the middle section of seats.

"It's fine," Rufus said.

They took their seats.

Rufus handed the bag of popcorn to Dan. "Here. You take it. I suddenly lost my appetite."

Dan raised an eyebrow at him. "Just because the girl's name was Lily? Come on, Dad! It was just a coincidence." He took the bag from his father.

"It just got me thinking again about William being away with Lily. That scumbag doesn't deserve her," Rufus grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, and slouching down in his seat.

Dan sighed. "Just try to enjoy the movie, all right?"

"I will as long as it's good," Rufus said, putting on a brave smile. The truth was, he couldn't make any promises.

~Begin Again~

William smiled to himself as he entered his and Lily's hotel room. He had had a wonderful time with Shelly, but unfortunately, it had to end after a drink. He knew Lily was waiting for him, and Shelley was of course waiting for her friend. She did offer an invitation to him to get together later that night, but he turned her down. As much as he wanted to get together wit her, he knew he wouldn't be able to get away with it. After all, this was his and Lily's make up Valentine's Day. He couldn't have a make up make up Valentine's Day. He wouldn't have a chance in hell of coming up with a good enough excuse that Lily would believe. Besides, he loved Lily so much. He may have liked to sleep with other women, but Lily was his heart. He wouldn't wreck their makeup Valentine's Day.

"There you are! Where were you? I thought you were going to join me in the shower," Lily said with a pout. She stood in front of him, all dressed and ready to go, a hand on her hip.

"I'm sorry, my Love!" William kissed her cheek. "It's took longer than I thought. I assure you, once you see what I have planned for you tonight, it will all be worth it."

Lily smiled. "Well, I guess I forgive you then." Her smile turned into a grin, and she kissed him sweetly on the lips. "We only have a half hour until we need to be at dinner. You had better go get showered and changed quick."

William nodded. "I won't take long, I promise!" He darted toward the bathroom.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I heard that one before."

William made sure to keep his promise this time. He was showered and ready to go with ten minutes to spare.

Lily latched onto his arm, and kissed his cheek. "You look so handsome! And you smell nice too."

William smiled at her. "Why thank you! You look and smell beautiful too."

"Thank you!" Lily said, kissing him on the lips.

"Shall we?" William opened the door, and motioned for her to go first.

Lily left, and then William did, shutting the door behind them. They then headed down the elevators to the first floor where the hotel's five-star restaurant was.

They got seated right away since they had reservations, and they were seated at a table in front of a huge window that they could look out of and see the beach only a few yards away.

William helped Lily into her chair, then after pushing her chair in, he sat down across from her.

There was already a bottle of chilled blush wine on their table.

"Did you request this?" Lily asked William with a smile as the waiter placed cloth napkins over their laps.

William smirked. "I might have." He winked at her.

"Is this my surprise?" Lily asked, a smile still on her face.

"Only the beginning. There is plenty more where this came from," he told her with another wink.

Lily took his right hand across the table. "I love you. Thank you," she said.

"And I love you! You're very welcome," he said, kissing her hand.

They grinned at each other, then looked over their menus. There was so much to choose from!

William was proud of himself. He was impressing Lily, and he knew that she would be even more impressed with what he had in store for her tonight. This night would be perfect for her, and therefore, he wouldn't have to feel guilty next week when he spent Valentine's Day in bed with Cassidy. In Cabo. He could hardly wait!

~Begin Again~

Dinner had been one of the most delicious meals that Lily had ever had in her life, and that was saying a lot since she had had the pleasure of enjoying cuisines from all over the world. She could certainly see how it was a five-star restaurant. She had had lobster dipped in butter for dinner, red potatoes, and an amazing salad with a light Italian dressing. For dessert, she had had chocolate cake with raspberries on top. She had eaten more at once than she had ever eaten before, but it was _so_ worth it!

William had paid the bill and tip, and now they were walking hand-in-hand back to their room.

When William opened the door, he walked in first, for he told her he wanted to make sure his surprise for her was there. A brief moment later, he called her in.

Lily stepped into the room, and William shut the door behind her. Then, they walked into the main part of the room together.

Lily gasped when she saw what was in front of her. She covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh my gosh, my Darling! Everything is so beautiful!"

William had had the balcony doors open, letting the ocean breeze into their room. The wind made the beautiful aqua blue silk curtains blow forward and back with every gust of wind. The whole room was lit only by candles. There were even candles in two rows, making a makeshift walking path to the bed. The bed was covered in rose petals from the headboard to the very end of the mattress. In the middle of the bed rested a beautifully wrapped box wrapped in metallic pink paper with metallic red hearts all over the paper. The box was tied with a pretty silver bow resting in the middle. Next to the box was a note with a long-stemmed thornless red rose on top of it. There were also dozens of red and pink roses in beautiful crystal vases all over the room, giving the room a wonderfully sweet rose scent.

"So, do you like it?" William asked with a grin.

Lily looked at him. "Like it? William, I absolutely love it!" She pulled him close for a deep and passionate kiss.

He moaned, and held her close, hungrily kissing her back for a moment. Then, he pulled away from the kiss, and nodded toward the bed. "Go read the note."

Lily smiled, and went over to the bed. She picked up the rose and smelled it, closing her eyes and she enjoyed the sweet aroma. She then stuck the rose in a nearby vase or red roses, and picked up the letter. She read it.

_To the most beautiful woman in the world, my wife. I love you forever and always. Being married to you makes me the luckiest man alive. Loving you always, William. _

Lily's eyes filled with happy tears. "William, that is the most romantic letter you've ver written me."

William smiled. "If you like that, then wait until you see your present!"

She grinned at him, then snatched up the present. She took her iphone out of her purse, and took a picture of it. "It's almost too pretty to open! Did you wrap it yourself?" she asked.

William blushed. "No, I had it professionally wrapped. My hands don't work as well with paper as they do with scalpels." He grinned.

Lily laughed, and set her phone down. She then carefully unwrapped her present, then opened the metallic silver box. She gasped again when she saw what was inside. It was a ruby encrusted heart locket on a white gold chain. "It's beautiful!" she breathed.

William nodded toward it. "Go ahead and open it!"

Lily tuned her attention back to the locket, and opened it up. She gasped again, and covered her mouth as she smiled. Inside, it was white gold with a picture of her and William on one side, and the inscription, _My love for you is eternal_ written on the other side.

Lily started to tear up from happiness. "I love it, thank you so much! It's so beautiful!" she cried.

William walked over to her, and took her into his arms. They kissed. "I'm glad you like it," he said resting his forehead against hers.

"Now you open yours!" she said, walking over to her side of the bed, and taking out the box she had hidden underneath the bed. The box was wrapped in red paper with a gold bow. "I wrapped it myself," she said with a smile.

"It's beautiful," William said, taking a picture of it with his iphone. He put his iphone back on the bed stand, then took the gift from Lily, and unwrapped it. Next, he opened the box, and took out a beautiful pair of white gold square shaped cuff links.

"Read what they say," Lily ordered with a sly smile.

William took them out of the box and read them. He then grinned, and raised an eyebrow at her. "Lily's heart?"

Lily nodded. "Because you always have my heart. I was gonna get the heart-shaped ones, but for some reason, hearts seem more feminine."

"Good call on the squares. I love them, and I love the idea of always having your heart. Thank you, my Love!" William pulled her in for a kiss. "I love them! I'm going to wear them every time I wear a suit."

"You'll be wearing them almost every day then," Lily said with a smirk.

William laughed. "So true!"

"I have one more present for you," he said to her.

"William, you've already gotten me more than you need to!" Lily said.

William waved her words away with his hand. "Nonsense. Now go get dressed into your swimsuit."

Lily scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "Why?"

"You'll see," he told her with a wink and a smile. "Just trust me on this one."

Lily sighed. "All right..." She grabbed her suit, and headed into the bathroom to change. William changed into his swim trunks while he waited for her, and slipped on his flip flops.

Lily came out a moment later, wearing her bikini. She then slipped on her flip flops, and put on her white mesh pullover coverup. "Are we going to the beach?" she asked.

William nodded. "Let's go."

Lily took his hand, and they left the room.

They headed down the elevator, and out of the hotel to the beach.

After about a minute walk on the beach, Lily finally saw what her surprise was. More candles were lit. These ones surrounded a Softtub hot tub. There was a little wooden table beside it that held an ice bucket filled with ice and a bottle of Champaign. Beside it were two long-stemmed crystal glasses, and a plate of chocolate covered strawberries in both milk chocolate and white chocolate. There was even a crystal heart-shaped bowl filled with whipped cream next to the strawberries.

"All this for me?" Lily asked.

"No one deserves it more than you do," William said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Oh, William, I love you so much!" she whispered. She pulled him in for a passionate kiss on the lips.

"Mm, I love you too, my Love," William said, breaking the kiss, and licking his lips.

Lily pulled off her coverup, and they both slipped out of their flip flops.

William then helped Lily into the hot tub before getting in himself.

He reached over to the table, and grabbed the Champaign. He popped open the cork, and Lily squealed as it went flying across the sand.

"You're lucky that didn't go into the ocean," she said.

"Yeah. After all, I wouldn't want it to cork up a dolphin's blow hole. They need those things open to breathe you know." He winked at Lily.

Lily giggled.

William then poured them each a glass of Champaign. Then, he set the bottle back down on the table, took a glass for himself, and handed Lily the other one.

He held up his glass to her. "A toast to us, and the best, most romantic non Valentine's Day that is more romantic than any Valentine's Day could have been."

Lily smirked. "I don 't think I can remember that word-for-word, but I will definitely drink to that!"

They grinned at each other, and clinked glasses, then downed their Champaign.

They then set their glassed down, and spent the next five minutes feeding each other chocolate covered strawberries dipped in whipped cream. They both had another glass of Champaign after that, then of course they set their glasses down, and began kissing.

They kissed for quite a while. Then, they spend just a few moments with their arms around each other as they watched the waves crash, and enjoyed the sounds of the ocean.

Finally, William helped Lily out of the tub, and they blew out the candles.

"Will everything else be all right here?" Lily asked with concern.

William nodded. "I also paid to have it all cleaned up."

"You think of everything, don't you?" Lily asked with as smile as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"That I do!" he said with a nod. He kissed the top of her head.

Lily sighed contently as he then led her into the hotel. She knew the night wasn't over. She still had her sexy red lingerie to show off to him...and have him take off before making mad passionate love to her. That was all perfectly fine with her, for after all William had done for her tonight, she was more in love with him than ever before.

~Begin Again~

"Are you ready to go?" William asked Cassidy once she opened the door to her house.

Cassidy grinned. "You bet I am, Baby!"

He grinned too, then they kissed.

He then grabbed her bags, and carried them to the cab, which already held his bags.

Cassidy locked up, then raced down the driveway to William.

He pulled her into another kiss.

She broke the kiss and grinned. "Save some for Cabo, Baby!"

William laughed. "Oh, don't you worry! I have plenty stored up!" He kissed her once more, then got into the cab with her. "To JFK please!" he said to the cab driver.

The cab driver took off instantly.

Cassidy took William's hand in hers, and gently squeezed it.

They grinned at each other.

William could tell by the hungry look in her eyes that she was excited for the trip. He knew his eyes must be showing her the very same thing.

~BA~

I had felt kind of guilty at first, saying goodbye to Lily back at the apartment, and seeing her eyes fill up with tears. Our trip had been perfect. We had had such a delightful time. We got to lie in the sun on the beach, do a little shopping, and make a lot of love. Heck, Lily had been even better in the sack than usual.

She didn't want me to leave today, but I told her I had to. After all, I couldn't get out of a mandatory medical conference, now could I?

We kissed, and embraced, and she didn't want to let me go. Finally, I had to tell her I'd miss my flight if I didn't get going.

She held my hands in hers, and I gently pulled them away. I gave her one last kiss, then left.

I felt guilty the whole way to Cassidy's, and wondered if I should call the whole trip off. I'd tell Lily the conference was postponed because of Valentine's Day or something. But when Cassidy opened the door looking so hot in her skintight jeans and off the shoulders cream colored sweater that hugged her supple bosoms, well, all the guilt I felt simply melted away. After all, for me, lust never really could compete with guilt.

~BA~

William and Cassidy arrived at the airport, and got checked in, then they waited for their flight to board.

They kissed most of the time, and eagerly talked about what they planned to do in Cabo. Cassidy's ideas of skinny dipping at night and making love on the beach were getting William all the more excited to be in Cabo.

"I heard they have thee best bars in Cabo. We're going to have some wild nights! I can feel it!" Cassidy said.

"Both in and out of the bedroom," William said, wriggling his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Cassidy laughed. "Exactly!"

Their flight got called then, and they both stood up.

"You ready for the time of your life?" Cassidy asked William, an eyebrow raised.

"Bring it, Baby!" William said.

Cassidy pulled him close, and kissed him hard on the lips. "Muah! You're my kind of man!" she said with a wink and a click of her tongue before heading over to board the plane.

"And you're my kind of woman!" William said, licking his lips, and eyeing her butt as he followed right behind her.

He moaned to himself. Cabo couldn't come soon enough! He had a feeling he and Cassidy would be joining the mile-high club tonight.

~Begin Again~

It was finally Valentine's Day, and Rufus wanted to make it perfect for Lisa. After all, it was going to be their last Valentine's Day as boyfriend and girlfriend. Next Valentine's Day, they'd be husband and wife.

They had reservations at eight for their favorite French restaurant. He had tried to get in earlier, but had waited too long to make the reservations. He silently cursed his forgetful mind. He would have had Lisa make the reservations, but since it was Valentine's Day, he wanted to be the one to make all the plans for her.

The only thing he had left to do was pick up her gift at the jeweler. He had a diamond tennis bracelet custom made for her. It had her name in diamonds all around the bracelet, with ruby hearts between the Lisas.

He knew she'd love it.

"Honey, while you're getting ready, I'm going to go out and get your present. I'll be back in time for our dinner reservations, all right?" he called out.

"As long as it's something good, take your time!" Lisa said with a giggle from the bedroom.

Rufus laughed. "Don't worry, you'll love it!" he called back.

"I have no doubt!" she called in return.

Rufus then left, and headed for the jeweler's, a smile on his face. He could hardly wait to see the look on Lisa's face when she saw the present!

~Begin Again~

Lily missed William already. She felt like such a loser at home all alone on Valentine's Day without anything to show for it. She was hungry, and bored out of her mind. She had tried watching television, but it seemed like every channel had some mushy thing on it. When she didn't have her husband with her on Valentine's Day, the last thing she felt like watching was something mushy.

With a sigh and a scowl, she flipped the television off, and got up off the couch.

"This is ridiculous!" she said to no one in particular. "Lily van der Woodsen does _not_ spend Valentine's Day moping around. I'm better than that!" She slipped on her fur coat and her boots, then grabbed her purse, and headed out. She would find a place to eat, then she would maybe even do a little retail therapy. After that, she would come home, take a nice, long, warm bubble bath, then rent some anti-love movie off of On Demand. She'd even light some candles around the bathtub when she took her bath. It would be a perfect, relaxing night.

She didn't bother taking a taxi. She didn't live far at all from the restaurants and shops.

She pulled her coat around her tighter as she walked. It wasn't a super cold night, but she hated how it always got dark out so early now. It gave her the creeps just a bit.

She arrived at the block of restaurants and shops after a ten minute walk. She knew all the nicer restaurants would be packed since it was Valentine's Day. It didn't really matter to her. She decided to just get some Chinese food, and then do a little bit of shopping before heading home.

So, she headed into the Chinese place, which was so small, it only had three tables to eat at. Not surprisingly, they were all open.

"Of course! No one eats Chinese food on Valentine's Day," Lily said under her breath.

She headed up to the counter and read over the menu boards. When she decided what she wanted, she ordered, and it was instantly served to her. She supposed one nice thing about going to the dinky places like this was that they had the food all prepped and ready to go.

She sat down at one of the tables. Their tables were so small, they only held three people.

As she was eating, a medium-height man came into the restaurant. He was wearing a long grey tweed coat that went all the way down to his ankles. He had a long grey beard with long gray curly hair. Everything about him was gray, Lily noticed. Heck, even his skin had a grayish huh to it. He was wearing heavy looking black boots. It was the only bit of non gray he had on. Then again, she couldn't see anything but his coat and boots. Who knew what he was wearing underneath his coat? She had no desire to find out.

He ordered a big plate of chow mein, and a pork egg role. He didn't order a drink, which she found a little weird. After all, who didn't get thirsty when eating? She supposed he couldn't afford one. He really looked like a bum off the street.

She continued eating her meal.

Once he got his tray of food, he headed over to her table. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked.

Lily was a little weirded out. There were other tables there. Why did he chose hers? Though, she supposed it wasn't the first time someone had a crush on her. She was a pretty beautiful woman, and she knew it! "Um, I prefer to eat alone. I'm sorry."

"I understand." He took a seat at the table next to hers. Of course he sat on the side facing her. "So, what's a pretty lady like you doing eating all alone on Valentine's Day in a Chinese restaurant? Did your boyfriend make an ass of himself?" he then asked.

Lily blushed. "I'm married, actually. My husband is a doctor away at a medical conference." She didn't feel comfortable telling a stranger, let alone a weird one about her private life, but she didn't know what else to tell him.

"That's a shame. If I was your husband, I'd never leave you alone. Especially not on Valentine's Day." The guy shoved an overflowing forkful of chow mein into his mouth.

Lily tried not to look disgusted as he chewed with his mouth open, the noodles hanging down over the sides of his mouth before he finally sucked them back in.

"That's very sweet of you, thank you." Lily said. She then went back to her food, eating it a little quicker, and hoping he'd stop trying to make conversation with her. W_hat a rotten Valentine's Day this is turning out to be,_ she thought.

As she ate, she could feel him staring at her. She looked up once, and he was looking at her in a way that gave her the chills.

She quickly ate the last few bites of her food, then ditched her trash in the bin.

She tried to rush past the guy on her way to the door, but he grabbed her arm.

She gasped, and looked at him.

"Have a nice evening, Ma'am," he said to her.

Lily swallowed hard. "Uh... Thank you. You too." She gently pulled her arm away from him, then quickly took off out of the restaurant as quickly as her Louboutin's would take her. The guy gave her the creeps!

She wasn't even in the mood for shopping any longer. All she wanted to do was get home to the safety of her apartment, and into her nice, warm, bubble bath.

It was even darker now than when she had arrived. The eerie part was, no one was around. _Everyone must be out with their lovers, enjoying a nice dinner at an actual restaurant,_ she thought.

Suddenly, she heard the bell jingling behind her, indicating that someone had just come out of the Chinese restaurant after her.

She knew it could only be one person.

"Hey! Lady!" he said. "Do you have a smoke I can have?" he called after her.

"Sorry, I don't smoke," she called back. She didn't look back, but picked up her pace a bit.

She heard his footsteps behind her. "Can I bum a couple of dollars off of you?" he asked her.

"Sorry, but I only had enough on me for my food," she said, walking even faster yet.

Almost instantly, she heard his rapid footsteps as he chased after her.

She let out a cry of horror. Where was everyone? Not even any cabs were stopping!

She ran as far as she could, but then her heel got caught in a crack in the pavement, and the guy grabbed her, and whipped her around to face him with surprising strength.

"Now, I don't believe that for a second! A fancy pants lady like you in Christian Louboutin boots and a fur coat has money! Give me that purse!" he said. "Oo, a Hermés purse! Lady, you've clearly been lying to me about having no money!"

Lily yanked her purse away from him. "I only brought enough with me for my food, like I told you!" she snapped.

"You can't tell me you don't have more than a few credit cards in there!" he said, grabbing for her purse again.

"I said no!" Lily stomped on his foot—hard, making sure to use her heel.

He cried out in pain, and let go of her purse.

She then ran as fast as she could, but he tackled her in no time.

"Big mistake, you stingy Bitch!" he said. He slammed her hard against the brick wall that Lily had been tackled beside. "But you know, what? I know of a way you can make it up to me." He slid his hand up her skirt.

"Get off of me!" she cried, trying to push him away.

"Oh, no. You're going to learn what happens to stingy little bitches! They learn to give...everything," he guy kissed her mouth.

Lily wanted to vomit. He smelled of pee and body odor, and his grimy hands were touching her. One was up her skirt still, while the other made it's way up her blouse.

She groaned, and tried to push him away, but he slapped her face.

"Stop fighting me, Bitch!" he snapped. "I'm going to have so much fun with you tonight, Lady. Happy Valentine's Day to me!"

"Get off of me!" Lily tried to punch his chest, but she knew it was no use. She was going to be raped, stolen from, and who knew what else on Valentine's Day. She was too panicked to think any further than that.

"I believe the lady said no, you piece of trash!"

Lily cried out in surprise at the familiar voice. "Rufus!"

Rufus turned the guy around with an amazing strength of his own. He then punched the guy hard in the face, grabbed the guy's beard, and yanked him away from Lily with surprising force.

The guy was phased only for a second, but caught his footing, and charged after Rufus.

"Rufus, look out! He's strong!" Lily cried out.

"Not as strong as I am," Rufus said before ducking out of the way.

The guy went flying forward since his body didn't have Rufus to make contact with.

Rufus tackled him hard from behind, sending the guy careening to the hard, cement sidewalk.

Rufus then straddled the guy, and punched his face repeatedly over and over as hard as he could.

The guy tried to fight back, but with Rufus sitting on top of him, his fists punching his face fast and furiously, it was a losing battle for him. "Stop!" he cried out. "Please!"

"Rufus, you'll kill him, stop!" Lily cried.

"He deserves to be killed!" Rufus growled.

"I know, but I don't want you going to jail," Lily said.

"Selfdefense!" Rufus said, giving the guy one last hard punch.

The guy cried out in pain. He grabbed his nose, which was now pouring out a good amount of blood.

Rufus put his face right in the guy's. "If you _ever_ touch her again, or even just look at her, I swear I'll kill you next time. Got it?"

"Yes!" the guy whimpered.

"Now, I suggest you get the hell out of here before I call the cops. And don't even _think_ about trying to attack anyone else. If you do, I _will_ find out about it, and you _know_ what will happened when I do," Rufus said. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," the guy mumbled.

"I can't hear you!" Rufus said, roughly twisting the guy's free arm.

"Yes!" the guy cried out louder.

"Good! Now get the hell out of here!" Rufus spit in his face. "You disgust me!"

Rufus got up off the guy.

The guy then ran away from them faster than Lily had ever seen anyone run in her life.

Lily slumped down to the ground, not caring if her new silk skirt got ruined. She began sobbing then. She couldn't help it.

Rufus quickly ran over to her, and crouched down beside her. He took her into his arms, and held her close. "Sh... It's all right. You're fine now," he said gently.

"I was so scared, Rufus! I thought for sure he was going to rape me, and possibly kill me!" Lily cried, sobbing hard into his jacket.

"It's okay, Lil. I'd never let anyone hurt you," Rufus said gently.

Lily looked up at him, and sniffled. "Thank you for saving me, Rufus. I appreciate it."

Rufus shook his head. "Don't mention it. I was here picking up Lisa's Valentine's Day gift, and when I came out of the store, I saw some guy pushing a lady up against the wall. At first I thought it was a couple making out. After all, it's Valentine's Day. But when I heard you crying out for him to get away from you, I suddenly knew what was going on, and the anger came over me like the Hulk!"

Lily smiled. "You're a hulk who's a hunk!"

They both laughed.

"We probably should have called the police," Lily said.

"I know. I just wanted to get him away from you. I didn't feel like waiting around for the police to arrive. Plus, for all we know, he'd try to get me in trouble for hitting him."

Lily nodded. "You'd have me as a witness, but yeah. I can see your point."

"Here. Let me get you home, Lil," Rufus said, helping Lily up.

"Where's your gift?" Lily asked.

"I dropped it before running over to you," Rufus said. "Can you walk?"

Lily nodded. "Thankfully, other than what feels like a few bruises coming on, I'm not hurt."

Rufus held on tightly to her, his arm around her waist nonetheless.

Lily put her arm around him, and clung tightly to him in return.

They then walked down the cement path until Rufus found the bag he had dropped. He let go of Lily, then picked the bag up, and took the box out. He lifted the lid, and took out the bracelet to observe it, and make sure the fall hadn't broken it.

"It's beautiful. I'm sure she'll love it," Lily said.

Rufus grinned at her. "You think so?"

Lily nodded. "It's diamonds and rubies. How could she not? You were always a good gift picker, Rufus."

Rufus smiled at her. "Thanks. I appreciate it." He carefully put the necklace back in the box and closed the lid. Then, he put the box back in the bag, and then placed his arm around Lily again.

Lily placed her arm around him again as well.

They then walked back to her apartment in silence.

Lily wondered what was going on in his head. She hoped whatever it was, he knew that she would be eternally grateful to him. For tonight, Rufus was her hero.

~Begin Again~

"Here we are," Rufus said as he helped Lily out of the elevator, and over to her couch. He helped her sit down.

"I appreciate it, Rufus, but really, I'm fine. I can sit down on my own," Lily said with a smile.

Rufus sat down beside her. "Are you sure I can't get you anything?"

"I'm fine, really. I'm just going to take a nice warm bubble bath, then cuddle up in bed with a good movie," she assured him.

"All right, if you're sure," Rufus said to her. He noticed her locket she was wearing. "That's nice. Rubies and diamonds like what I got Lisa." He took it in his hands, and opened it. He saw the picture, and read the inscription. He did his best not to make a face as he closed the locket, and let it fall back to Lily's neck. "A gift from William I take it?"

Lily nodded. "Yes. He gave it to me during our early Valentine's Day celebration. It's funny how you both chose diamonds and rubies, isn't it?"

Rufus nodded. "_Hilarious_," he said, unable to help the sarcasm.

Lily sighed. "Rufus, thank you again for saving me. I know you hate me, but you saved me anyway. Thank you so much for that."

Rufus sighed. He looked at her, his expression softened. "Lil, I could never hate you. I was just angry with you. Annoyed even. But no matter how angry and annoyed I am with you, I'd never let some scumbag attack you."

"Well, I appreciate it," Lily said.

"Besides, after I wasn't there for you all those years ago when Jack tried to rape you, I vowed to myself to never let that happen to you again. I'm glad that Chuck was able to protect you that night, but it should have been me. I never really forgave myself for that," Rufus said, looking down at his lap.

"Hey!" Lily placed an index finger under his chin, and gently turned his face to hers. "Look at me."

Rufus did as told.

"I never blamed you for that. You had no idea what was going on. If you had, I know you'd have been right there with Chuck, giving Jack hell."

"I still should have sensed that something was wrong, but you're right." Rufus nodded. "Jack might not even be alive today had I been there." He grinned.

"Damn! Now I _really_ wish you had been there!" Lily joked.

Rufus laughed.

"At least Jack isn't a _total_ jackass anymore," Lily said.

"But he's still a jackass," Rufus stated.

They both laughed this time.

Lily sighed. "Rufus, I really am sorry for accusing Lisa all those times. I guess a part of me is just jealous of her. Now that you're marrying her, I'm worried you won't have any time for me. I know we're not husband and wife any more, or even boyfriend and girlfriend, but you still mean so much to me. I just don't want to lose you."

Rufus sighed too. "Oh, Lil, you're not going to lose me! I'm sorry I cut you from my life. I was just angry, and acting stupid. I don't want you out of my life anymore than you want me out of yours."

Lily smiled brightly at him. "Really?"

Rufus nodded, and smiled back at her. "Really! And I know you were just looking out for me when you thought she was cheating on me."

Lily nodded. "I really was. Trust me, if I knew she wasn't really cheating on you, I never would have accused her. I should have just minded my own business, or at least talked to you about it first. Or, at the very least, waited until I actually saw them making out with each other."

Rufus snickered. "You heard the sex tape and thought it was them having sex."

Lily smiled. She then started to laugh.

Rufus began laughing too. "Little did you know he was gay!"

They were both laughing so hard now that they had tears in their eyes.

"And when William came baring my necklace, I looked like a total ass," Lily said, referring to the necklace incident.

"That's because you were being a total ass!" Rufus said.

Lily pouted, and crossed her arms across her chest. "Hey!" she said. Then she broke into a grin. "You're right. I was!"

They started laughing again.

"I'm so sorry about that too. I knew Lisa wasn't a thief," Lily said.

"I'm sorry too. I should have looked at things from your point of view. I can see how she looked guilty," Rufus said.

"So, friends again?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.

Rufus smiled at her, and nodded. "Friends again."

They hugged.

Rufus suddenly remembered his and Lisa's dinner reservations. "Shoot!" he exclaimed, standing up.

"What is it?" Lily asked, standing up as well.

Rufus looked at the clock. "I have a half hour until my dinner reservations!"

"If you go straight there, you can still make it. I'm sorry. I feel bad you're gonna be late because of me," Lily said.

"You couldn't help it. Don't feel bad," Rufus said.

"Well, I promise I'll be like Lisa's BFF from now on," Lily said. "I owe it to her."

Rufus smirked. "I don't expect you to be BFFs with her, but I'd appreciate you making the effort with her. She really does like you, you know."

"And I'm sure I'll like her once I get over my jealousy issues," Lily said.

"I appreciate your admitting your jealous. Maybe Lily van der Woodsen _has_ grown up after all," Rufus said with a smirk.

Lily smirked too. "Who would have thought?"

"I'll tell you what. You and I will get together once a week, just you and I. We'll do lunch, dinner, a movie, whatever we feel like doing. That way, even though I'm marrying Lisa, you and I will still have us time. All right?" Rufus asked with a smile.

Lily grinned. "That sounds perfect!"

"Goodbye, Lily. Have a good night," Rufus said, kissing her cheek.

Lily kissed his cheek in return. "Goodbye, Rufus. Thank you again for saving me."

"Hey," Rufus said. He gently stroked her cheek. "I got your back!" He winked at her.

She grinned. "And I have yours. Always."

"Good to know!" he said, before heading towards the elevator.

"Rufus?" Lily called after him.

He stopped, and looked over his shoulder at her. "Yes?"

She smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day."

He smiled too. "Happy Valentine's Day, Lil."

He then got onto the elevator, and smiled at Lily until the doors closed between them. Then, he took out his phone, and called Lisa. He told her he'd just meet her at the restaurant, and told her that he'd explain when he got there. Luckily, she didn't sound angry.

He then sighed as he hung up the phone, and placed it back in his pocket. He was glad that he and Lily were back in each other's lives, and friends again. He was finally willing to admit to himself that living without Lily had been torture for him. He didn't know what it was about that woman, but she was under his skin and in his heart, and he now knew that it wasn't even possible to get her out. In fact, he didn't even want to try anymore. After all, he had learned what the end result was, and he no longer wanted to have to go through that ever again. Lily was apart of him, and him being married to Lisa or not, that was never going to change, nor did he want it to.

~Begin Again~

Lily sighed as she watched the doors take Rufus from her site. Despite the horrific events of the night, she couldn't help but smile. Rufus was back in her life, and she was back in _his_ life. Not only that, but they would be spending a day every week together.

Lily sighed again. She had meant what she said to Rufus. She was going to make it up to Lisa. They would be great friends, her and Lisa. They had to be. She had lived without Rufus before, and was miserable. If being good friends with Lisa meant keeping Rufus in her life, then so be it. After all, not having Rufus in her life just wasn't an option anymore.

With a smile to herself, Lily headed up the stairs to go take her bubble bath. The night had started off horribly, but it had ended sweetly. She supposed it wasn't bad for a Valentine's Day spent alone. After all, she had't been alone the whole night.

She smiled to herself as images of Rufus filled her mind. He had been so brave tonight!

She sighed again, this time more dreamily. Yes, Rufus not being in her life anymore was _definitely_ no longer an option.

~Begin Again~

"Wow. It's a good thing you were there when you were! That would have been absolutely horrible if that guy had—"

Rufus cut Lisa off. "Don't even say it! I'm just glad I was able to help her."

"And you didn't even tear your suit!" Lisa said with a grin. "My big strong hero, or rather, Lily's."

"I'll always be _your_ hero. Whenever you need me, I'll be there to protect you," Rufus told her.

Lisa smirked. "I appreciate that, but you're starting to sound like a cheesy love song."

Rufus laughed. "Good point!"

"So, I bet you're glad you and Lily are friends again. I saw how torn apart you were when you two were at odds," Lisa then said.

Rufus nodded. "I guess Lily and I have too many years of history to _not_ be friends. I care about her deeply, and always will."

Lisa raised an eyebrow at him. "Just not too deeply, okay?" She smirked to show she was only teasing.

Rufus laughed, and took her hands in his own from across the table. "Trust me, Lisa, my Love, you are the only woman for me, and that is never going to change."

Lisa grinned at him, and kissed his hand.

He grinned back at her. He meant what he said. He loved Lisa, and she was the only woman for him. Even so, it felt good to have Lily back in his life. _Really_ good. And this time, he would never let her out of his life again.


	9. Public Frenemies

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 9: Public Frenemies**_

Lily squealed with happiness, and ran to her husband when her husband walked into the apartment from the elevators.

William grinned, dropped his bags, and held his arms open.

Lily ran into them and kissed him passionately, his face between her hands.

William hungrily kissed her in return, his hands placed over her butt.

"I missed you," Lily said once she broke the kiss, her forehead resting against his.

"I missed you too, my Love," he said, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "So, what happened while I was away? Did I miss anything good?" He held her at arm's length now.

Lily looked down to the floor. "Actually, there _is_ something you should probably know about." William had called her on Valentine's Day while she was taking her bath, but she hadn't mentioned almost getting raped, or Rufus saving her. She hadn't wanted him to worry. But now that he was back, she knew she had to tell him.

"What's wrong? You look upset," William said, gently lifting her chin up, then stroking her face.

Lily headed to the couch. "Let's sit down. I have to tell you about something that happened to me on Valentine's Day."

"All right..." William said, sounding a little unsure of what to expect.

They sat down together on the couch, and faced each other.

"What happened?" William asked.

Lily sighed, then told him the whole story about going to eat dinner at the Chinese food place, the creepy man she met in there, and the creepy man trying to rape her when she left. She also told him about Rufus saving her of course.

William listened without interrupting the whole time, and only spoke when she was done telling him everything.

When Lily was done explaining, William sighed. He placed his right hand over her left shoulder. "Thank God Rufus was there to save you! I hate myself for not being there for you. It should have been _me_ who was there to save you though—not Rufus."

Lily shrugged. "You couldn't help it if you had a medical conference. I know you didn't want to be there anymore than I wanted you to be."

"Even so. Oh, Lily, if anything ever happened to you—especially while I was away—I'd never forgive myself!" William pulled her closer, into a hug for a moment.

"It's okay. I was a little shaken up, but Rufus got there before the guy had a chance to..." Lily trailed off, and shivered. "Let's just say, Rufus got there in time. Thank God."

William broke the hug, and looked her in the eyes. "Why didn't you tell me this when I called you on the phone that night?"

"I didn't want to worry you. I was fine, and you were stuck in Chicago. There was nothing you could do about it. I didn't want you to be all flustered and upset when you were supposed to be paying attention in your conference," Lily said simply. She gently rubbed his thigh.

"Well, next time worry me. I'm your husband. I need to know these things when they happen no matter where I am or what I'm doing," William told her.

"Hopefully there won't be a next time," Lily said.

"If I have anything to do with it, there won't be. I don't want you walking all alone somewhere at night anymore. Especially when no one else is around. All right?" William asked her.

Lily nodded. "Trust me, Darling, I learned my lesson."

"Good!" William said with a nod of his head.

"So, how was your conference? Did you have fun in Chicago? Was it cold?" Lily asked.

"It was the most boring conference I'd ever been to in my life, and I missed you terribly, so _no_, I did not have fun in Chicago. As for the cold, it was a little cold, but mainly because of the wind. Still, it wasn't as bad as the winters get here," William said.

"Well, I'm sorry you didn't have a good time, and I'm glad you're back here with me. I really did miss you," Lily said with a smile as she gently stroked his hair.

"And I missed _you_, my Darling," William said before kissing her.

"So, what do you want to do?" Lily asked seductively after they broke the kiss.

William grinned at her, and playfully wriggled his eyebrows up and down at her. I want to make up for lost time with you," he said. "After all, four days without you just won't do!"

Lily smiled at him, and pulled him in for another kiss. "Then, without words, and only a smile, she stood up, and extended her hand to him.

He kissed her hand, and smiled back at her before letting her help him up off the couch.

Then, their hands still in each other's, they headed up the stairs to make up for lost time.

~Begin Again~

"I was thinking maybe you could take an hour or so off from the gallery tomorrow so that you and I can go out to lunch together. I hate eating at the gallery, and you usually get interrupted when we're trying to eat," Lisa said, hugging Rufus from behind. He sat on the couch reading the paper, and she stood behind the couch. She rested her head on his shoulder with a pout.

He looked over his shoulder at her. "Actually, I don't work tomorrow. I took the day off."

Lisa raised an eyebrow at him. "What? Why? You never take Monday's off."

"Well, Lily's worried that she and I will drift apart now that I'm marrying you, so I decided to get together with her once a week so that she doesn't have to worry."

Lisa walked around the couch, and plopped down next to him. "Well, _that's_ stupid! She never seemed worried about you two drifting apart before. Not even when she remarried William."

Rufus shrugged. "I guess she felt in control then because it was her that was married and not me. Now that I'm going to be married too, she doesn't have control anymore."

Lisa sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest. She looked over at him. "You never took the day off for _me_."

He looked at her. "If you want me to take a day off for you too, I'd be happy to."

"You sure went from not talking to her or even wanting her in your life to being BFFS pretty quickly," Lisa stated, not commenting on Rufus' offer to take a day off for her as well.

Rufus shrugged. "When you go through a traumatic event together, it changes you."

Lisa looked over at him blankly. "She's fine, and you saved her before anything happened. It wasn't _that_ traumatic."

"Well, to Lily it was. I'm sure if it happened to you, you'd feel differently. And as for me, well, it made me realize how much I still care about her as a friend, and how I don't want her out of my life. Look, do you not want me to hang out with her? Because we're just hanging out as friends, you know. Nothing more. Lily loves William, and I love you, and—"

Lisa shook her head, and cut Rufus off with a hand on his shoulder. "No, it's fine. Go have your time with her if that's what you want. I'll call Serena up and see if she wants to have a spa day tomorrow. She's been saying how Dan's so busy with his book lately, and she wants to get out and do something."

"Are you sure you don't mind? I'm sorry. I guess I should have run it by you first," Rufus said to her.

"I'm sure. It's fine. I'm your fiancé, not your keeper. I'm not going to be one of those lame wives who makes you get permission for everything, or who can't spend a single day without her husband." She grinned at him.

He grinned too, and kissed her forehead. "Good to know! I promise not to be one of those husbands either," he said with a smile and a wink at her.

She grinned, and took his line. "Good to know!"

"Lily said she wants to make it up to you for accusing you of all those things, and for not being very nice to you lately. She was just worried you'd cause her and my friendship to crumble, so that is why she was acting like that. Now that she knows that won't happen, she actually said she wants to become BFFs with you." Rufus grinned at her.

Lisa smiled. "Really? BFFs?"

Rufus nodded. "Her words!"

Lisa's smile turned into a smirk. "I don't know about BFFs, but I'd like to be friends with her since she's so important to you."

"That would be nice," Rufus said with a smile and a nod.

Lisa kissed his cheek. "I'm going to go call Serena about tomorrow!" She then got up, and headed for the phone.

"Okay," Rufus said, going back to reading his paper. He hoped Lisa wasn't upset. She didn't seem to be now, which was good, because he really didn't want to cancel his plans with Lily. He had to have Lily in his life, and that was that. As much as he loved Lisa, Lisa was just going to have to deal with it.

~Begin Again~

"So, what are you doing today?" William asked Lily as he straightened his tie in the mirror.

"Well, I thought I might spend the day with Rufus," Lily, who was sitting on the end of the bed, smoothed out the bedspread with her hand.

William looked over his shoulder at her. "Come again?"

"Well, when Rufus saved me from my attacker, we made up. I sincerely apologized for accusing Lisa all those times, and he apologized for being so hard on me. I admitted to him that I am a little jealous of Lisa. I've been afraid that once Rufus marries Lisa, he'll be with her all the time, and with me less. I don't want him and I to drift apart. So, he suggested we get together once a week just the two of us and spend the day together. That way, we can still say close, and never grow apart," Lily said, looking down at the bedspread.

"I don't think there's any worry of you two drifting apart. He's Serena's father-in-law. We're connected through family," William stated, not liking this situation one bit. "And, you have me. Why is it so important that you spend time with Rufus?"

Lily looked up at him. "Well, you're not the only man in my life. Yes, you're the only man in my life that I'm romantically involved with and have intimate feelings for, but you're not the only man I care about. Surely you're not one of those possessive husbands who won't let their wife have any male friends. Are you?" She crossed her arms over her chest, looking rather annoyed.

William shook his head. "Well, no. Of course not." He turned back to the mirror, and continued messing with his tie. "It's just that he will be marrying Lisa, and Lisa will be his number one priority. You can't take it personal if he spends more time with her than you."

Lily sighed. "Obviously, William. All I want is some weekly time with Rufus so that we can remain close. It will be good for him and I as friends, and good for our son. It will also be good for Serena and Dan. The better the in-laws get along, the happier the family." She stood up, walked over to William, turned him around, and helped him with his tie. "You're not angry, are you?"

"Me? Na! Who do I look like, Bart Bass?" He grinned.

"Actually, even Bart was understanding when it came to Rufus. Maybe not at first, but he was willing to let me go when I had to chose between him and Rufus the second time. He signed the divorce papers without protest when he thought I loved Rufus more. Him being so understanding and thoughtful toward my feelings and not a pushy bully like Rufus was in that situation made me choose him. Now, you're not going to be a pushy bully like Rufus was at the time, are you, William?" Having finished tying his tie, she ran her hands over his shoulders, and smiled at him.

William smiled too, only his smile was forced. "Of course not, Dear."

Lily smiled even bigger. "Perfect! I knew I could count on you to understand." She kissed his cheek, and pat his shoulders. "Now, come down stairs and eat the breakfast I made you. You have to eat it now, or you'll be late for work."

"Coming, my Dear," William said, giving himself one last look over in the mirror, then following her out of the room, and down the stairs.

He quietly sighed. And so, the ever present pest was back in Lily's life. _Great! Just great,_ he thought sarcastically.

~BA~

Leave it to Rufus to squirm back into Lily's life the second I leave town. I had an absolutely wonderful, sex-filled time with Cassidy in Cabo, but now I was home, and it was time to go back to the real world.

It figures! Just when I thought I had finally gotten rid of Rufus for good, he comes back like the plague.

[Sigh] Well, I suppose I should be grateful to Rufus for saving Lily from being attacked. Then again, I'm sure he just loved playing the hero. I should make it look like he set the whole thing up just so he could play the hero. Then again, it could work against me. Lisa would probably dump him if she thought he was after Lily, and Lily would probably be touched that he did that for her. I don't know. One thing's for sure, if Lisa left Rufus, I didn't trust Lily to not leave me for Rufus. After all, look what she had done to Bart Bass the first time! She slept with Rufus the night before their wedding.

I decided to just let it be. If I threw a tantrum over this whole Lily hanging out with Rufus thing, Lily would get angry with me. She had already started to get angry with me in the bedroom when she sensed my disapproval. Besides, I just don't have the time or energy to put another scheme into motion. Cassidy keeps me plenty busy, and that drains me physically. Also I have my job, and then my time with Lily. Actually, this whole hanging out with Rufus thing might be a good idea. After all, it will keep Lily occupied and not so needy, therefore leaving me more time with Cassidy. I'm usually not with a woman as long as I've been with Cassidy, but there is something about that woman that is making me stick around. She's sexy, she's sassy, and she's great in bed, so I plan on keeping her around for a while.

So, yeah. Rufus could help keep Lily out of the way, though inadvertently. Even so, I'd be keeping an extra close watch on that Rufus Humphrey. After all, I trust him about as much as I trusted Bart Bass.

~BA~

"Thanks again for understanding about me hanging out with Rufus. I appreciate it," Lily said, kissing William's cheek before he headed for the elevator.

He kissed her lips, and held her close. "Don't mention it. If hanging out with Rufus is what makes you happy, then I say go for it. You're my wife, and I want you to be happy. Besides, I know I can trust you."

Lily nodded. "You're right; you can. You can trust me a hundred and ten percent!" She kissed him once more, then shooed him into the elevator. "Now go! You can't be late for work!"

"Ah, so what if I'm late for Mr. Jacob's kidney surgery? It's not like he doesn't have two!" William joked. Of course he was just teasing her. He didn't have a kidney surgery to perform today. In fact, he didn't even know a Mr. Jacob's!

Lily laughed. "You're terrible!" She blew him a kiss.

William grinned, and pretended to catch it, then blew her one back.

"I love you!" she called out as the doors started to close. She peered through the rapidly closing space between the doors.

"I love you too!" William called back with a wave right before the doors closed.

He sighed once the doors had closed. "But Rufus can go to hell," he muttered underneath his breath. He sighed. He knew deep down he had nothing to worry about. After all, Rufus was a weak, narrow minded little punk. William knew he could take Rufus on in a heartbeat. Still, there was something in Rufus that Lily loved. Only God knew what it was she loved.

Anyway, Rufus had won once when it came to him or Rufus, but that was only because Lily had caught William's lie about the whole cancer thing. And of course Rufus had stepped in to play the protector.

Well, this time, William was more prepared. The only thing Lily could possibly leave him for was if she were to find out that he was cheating on her, or if she were to find out about the whole necklace thing. But she wasn't going to find out about either thing. William would see to it. And, if Rufus started to become a problem, William would simply eliminate him from Lily's life again. And this time, William would make sure that it was for good.

The elevator doors opened, and William stepped off the elevator, and headed out of the apartment, nodding a polite greeting to Vanya the doorman, who greeted him in the doorway as he left.

If Lily had to spend the day with Rufus today, then William guessed _he'd_ have to spend the day with Cassidy. How ever was he going to bear it? He smirked to himself. He'd manage.

~Begin Again~

"I'm so glad you could join me today," Lily said, kissing Rufus's cheek as he met her at Fred's for lunch.

He kissed her cheek in return. "I'm glad I could too. I actually took the day off from the gallery to be with you." He winked and smiled at her.

Lily placed a hand over her heart. "That was so sweet of you, Rufus, thank you. Though, I kind of feel bad now that I know I'm making you miss out on business."

Rufus shook his head. "Don't feel bad. I'm overworked anyway. I welcome this day off!"

"Well, then let's make the best of your day off, shall we?" Lily asked, linking her arm with his.

Rufus nodded. "Yes, we shall!"

They headed over to the hostess station, arm-in-arm.

Shortly after, they were seated, Rufus having helped Lily into her chair.

They looked over their menus, and ordered their drinks, then the waiter left to get their drinks.

"So, how long do you have today? What time do you have to be back?" Lily asked.

"I promised Lisa I'd do dinner with her, but she'll be at the spa with Serena until six, so I don't need to be home until six fifteen or so," Rufus answered.

Lily smiled brightly, and took his hand from across the table, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Well, we have lots of time together then!"

"Yes!" Rufus agreed, gently squeezing her hand back as he smiled at her.

They then made small talk as they looked over their menus, and decided what to eat. Soon after, the waiter came back with their drinks, and they ordered their food. Then, once the waiter was gone, they began their conversation.

"So, what do you want to do today after we have our lunch?" Rufus asked her.

Lily tapped her finger on her lips as she thought. I don't know. Are there any good movies playing?"

Rufus shook his head, and took a sip of his drink before responding. "We can go see a movie if you really want, but it wouldn't allow us much time to talk. I know we're talking now, but, I don't know. I just think it'd be nice if we could continue talking. You can enjoy things better when you talk with each other."

Lily took a sip of her own drink. She nodded as she set it back down. "You make a valid point. So, what else is there? Surely we can think of something to do in a big city like this. Though, maybe we can make whatever we do indoors. It's freezing outside!"

"Well, there's always bowling," Rufus suggested.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Bowling? I don't really bowl, Rufus."

"Come on! I could never get you to bowl when we were younger because you were positive you'd catch a disease from putting your fingers in a public ball, and you refused to wear the bowling shoes because, in your words, you weren't going to put your feet into someone else's sweaty shoes. You'd vomit uncontrollably if you had to." Rufus smirked at the memory.

Lily grinned. "You remember that? Gosh, we had to have been in our twenties then! That was so long ago!"

Rufus nodded, and took Lily's hands in his own, giving them a gentle squeeze across the table. "I remember most things about our relationship, Lil. You gave me some of the best years of my life."

Lily blushed. "And you gave me some of the best years of my life as well." She looked down at their joint hands. _But now Lisa has taken my place, and I have William,_ she silently added. For some reason, even though she was madly in love with William, the thought made her a little sad. She wondered why things and people had to change. Couldn't everything and everyone ever just stay the same?

Rufus slowly removed his hands from hers, and took a sip of his drink. "So, now that you're old enough to know you can't catch diseases from the bowling balls, and that they spray the shoes down with disinfectant, will you go bowling with me?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

Lily sighed. "Oh, I don't know, Rufus. I don't even know how to bowl, really."

"It's not that hard!" Rufus insisted. "Heck, I haven't even bowled that many times in my life either, so it will be an adventure for both of us." He took her hands in his from across the table again.

Lily looked at his hands, then his face. She smiled. "We're going to make asses out of ourselves. You know that, right?"

Rufus shrugged. "You're used to making an ass out of yourself anyway."

Lily gasped. "I can't believe you just said that!" She laughed. "All right, all right. But I'm gonna wipe the floor with you for that comment, Mister! You just wait and see." She winked at him.

"I'm up for the challenge!" Rufus said, winking back at her.

They grinned at each other, their hands still clasped.

~Begin Again~

"Ew. These shoes are even uglier than I remembered," Lily said as she sat on a chair in their assigned section of the bowling alley. She had her legs straight out as she looked down in distaste at her ugly orange and green bowling shoes.

"Mine aren't any better," Rufus said from his place in front of the score screen. He looked down at his blue and red bowling shoes.

"At least you got two colors that actually go together. Mine are orange and puke green. Those don't even look good apart!" Lily said.

Rufus grinned. After all these years, Lily was still a diva. The truth was, he wouldn't have her any other way. "All right! You're up first. I programmed out names into the screen, and we're ready to go!" Lunch had been wonderful. They had talked, reminisced about old times, joked, and laughed. But now it was time to bowl. It was go time. Rufus wasn't about to let his ex-wife beat him in a game of bowling.

Lily got up out of her chair, and slowly sauntered toward her sparkly purple ball that she had chosen. She looked up at Rufus. "Do I really have to put my fingers in this thing?"

Rufus smirked. "Unless you can think of another way to throw it down the lane."

"I could just roll it," Lily mused.

Rufus nodded. "You could, but that would look silly. I suppose I could get you one of those ball rollers that kids use."

Lily rolled her eyes at him. "Shut up, Rufus."

Rufus grinned. He then snickered to himself as he saw Lily put her fingers into her bowl with a pained expression on her face.

"This is so gross! I'm going to scrub my hands raw when we're done here," she grumbled.

Rufus shook his head and smirked. Once a diva, always a diva.

Rufus then watched as Lily made her way up to the lane. She paused for a moment as if contemplating on where to throw her ball. Finally, she threw the ball. It started off in the middle, but quickly made its way to the right, entering the gutter about a yard away from the pins.

He clapped. "That's a good try, Sweetie!" He knew it always drove her crazy when he talked to her like she was a child. He loved getting her all worked up.

Lily turned around, and gave him the death glare. "I was just warming up," she said coldly.

Rufus grinned. "Sure you were." He winked at her.

Lily scowled, and rolled her eyes.

Rufus snickered behind his hand.

The ball came back up, so Lily picked it up, and headed purposely down to the lane. Then, with her head held high, she threw the ball.

The ball rolled all the way to the end this time, but still only managed to hit two pins before it was collected, and the bar came down, wiping away the rest of the pins.

Rufus snickered behind his hand again.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Let's see _you_ do better, Jack ass!"

Rufus laughed, and grabbed his cobalt blue ball. "So now you're resorting to name calling, are ya?"

"Just roll the ball," Lily said, rolling her eyes again.

"It looks like the balls aren't the only thing being rolled today," Rufus said to her with a wink as he headed toward the lane.

"Roll!" Lily snapped.

"Pushy, pushy," Rufus muttered as he rolled the ball. He then grinned widely as the ball continued a straight path down the middle, eventually hitting five pins."Yes!" He jumped in the air, then turned around, and grinned cockily at Lily. "In your face, Bitch!"

Lily gasped, then laughed. "Oh, ho! Now who's resorting to name calling?"

Rufus grinned at her, and grabbed his ball for the second roll. He strutted up to the beginning of the lane.

Lily giggled. "You look gay when you strut like that."

Rufus ignored her, but smiled to himself. He loved the sound of her laughter. He always did. He rolled the ball, and it headed straight into the gutter. He wasn't even close this time.

Lily cackled. "Ha ha! Who's the cocky one now?" she asked.

Rufus turned back around, and headed back toward her. "You are!" he grumbled.

Lily smiled smugly. "Just wait till you see how cocky I am after I roll the next ball!" She walked purposely toward the ball return, grabbed her ball, and picked it up. Then, she walked to the lane, then threw the ball...right into the gutter.

She immediately turned around, and gave Rufus the death glare. "Don't you even _think_ about laughing."

Rufus smirked, and covered his mouth.

"Don't. You. Dare," Lily said coldly.

Rufus giggled.

Lily stormed over to him, and pushed him hard. "I said not to laugh!" she whined.

Rufus laughed, then cleared his throat in attempt to stop his laughter. "I'm sorry. Go ahead and try again." He nodded toward the ball return, where her ball had just come back up.

Lily shot him a look to kill, then went to collect her ball. She paused this time when she got to the beginning of the lane, her ball held in the air. She then rolled the ball. It went straight down the middle of the lane, and kept moving.

"You might get it, Lil!" Rufus said, sincerely excited for her.

Lily froze up as she waited to see where the ball would land. Soon, it hit all ten pins. Lily squealed with delight, jumped up in the air, clapped her hands, and wiggled her butt, in a victory dance.

Rufus watched her. He licked his lips. She was wearing skinny jeans, which she rarely ever wore. He was really glad she wore them today. After all these years, she still had a fantastic body. He knew he probably shouldn't be thinking it since he was an engaged man, but he couldn't help it. After all, being engaged didn't suddenly make you blind to other women's finer attributes. It never hurt to look anyway.

Lily then ran to Rufus, and embraced him.

Rufus was surprised, but embraced her too, and jumped up and down with her.

"Congrats, Lil!" Rufus said, his eyes lowered. "Now do that again for the next eight frames!"

"I thought you didn't want me to win," Lily said, a little calmer now.

Rufus shrugged. "What can I say? I always _was_ a sucker for seeing you happy."

Lily smiled at him, then kissed his cheek. "You're turn," she said with a smile.

Rufus smiled in return, then went to grab his ball. He had forgotten how good it felt to hang out with Lily.

~Begin Again~

"If I make this last shot, I win. If I don't, then you win. It's pretty close either way. I guess we ended up sucking at bowing about equally," Rufus said with a smirk. Their scores were both barely over a hundred as it was.

Lily smirked too. "Wanna make a little wager on this?"

Rufus nodded. "All right. How about the winner gets to pick what we do next time no matter what it is?"

Lily nodded. "Fine, but nothing terrifying like sky diving."

"Oh, you don't have to worry there. I assure you!" Rufus told her. "But nothing girly like manicures."

Lily laughed. "Men get manicures too."

Rufus raised an eyebrow at her. "Lily..."

Lily sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest wit a pout. "Okay, fine! Whatever."

So, Rufus picked up his ball, and envisioned what needed to be done. He needed to knock the remaining three pins down in order to get his spare and win the game.

He then walked down to the lane, paced him self, took a deep breath, slowly let it out, then threw the ball. He watched it as it slowly rolled toward the remaining pins.

"Gutter! Gutter! Gutter!" Lily chanted.

Rufus ignored her as he watched the ball inch closer and closer to the pins. Finally, it hit the pins...all three of them. He jumped with glee, punching his right fist high up in the air. "Yes!"

He turned around to grin at Lily.

Lily rolled her eyes and shook her head, but smiled in return. "Good job. I guess there goes our day at the spa!"

"I said nothing girly anyway," Rufus reminded her, an eyebrow raised.

"Hey, spas have a lot of things to do that are genderless. There's massages, mud baths, facials..." Lily trailed off.

"Facials are girly," Rufus said as he sat down, and took off his ugly shoes.

"Guys get facials. Men get skin problems just as much as women do," Lily said simply. Her bowling shoes were already off, and her boots were back on.

"True, I guess," Rufus said, lacing up his second boot. He then stood up. "I'll have to think of something really good to do with you next Monday." He grinned at her.

Lily raised an eyebrow at him. "All right, but I wouldn't recommend us telling our significant others about it!"

Rufus looked confused for a split second, then he blushed as he got her joke. "That's not what I meant!" he said with a laugh, playfully pushing her.

"I know. I just like fooling around with ya!" Lily grinned and winked at him.

Rufus laughed, and playfully pushed her again. "Stop!"

They continued to laugh together as they collected their balls, put them back, then went to pay for their game.

"I got it. It's your consolation prize," Rufus said to Lily as he took out his wallet, and payed for the game.

"You paid for lunch too. You don't have to pay for the game. _I_ should be the one paying," Lily said.

"Nope! This one's on me," Rufus said.

"Well, let's go get some coffee and dessert—my treat!" Lily said.

"We can go, but you don't need to pay," he told her.

Lily nodded. "I know, but I want to." She latched onto his arm, and smiled up at him.

Rufus smiled too, and latched onto her arm in return. "All right. Let's go then."

Lily rested her head on Rufus' shoulder, and smiled as they left the bowling alley. It felt so good to be hanging out just the two of them! It seemed they hadn't done that since they were married.

_I could definitely get used to this_, she thought happily. She could hardly wait for next Monday!

~Begin Again~

After getting dessert and coffee, they did a little window shopping, then they decided to go for a walk in Central Park.

"I want a hot chocolate. Do you want one?" Lily asked, stopping at a vender.

"Sure! It will help keep me warm," Rufus said, rubbing his hands together. He then reached for his wallet.

"Nope! It's on me!" Lily said, paying the man, then handing Rufus his cup once it was poured.

"Thanks," Rufus said, taking a slow sip of it.

Lily put a tip in the jar, then grabbed her hot chocolate and thanked the man.

Rufus waited for her, then began walking forward once she was ready.

"This kind of feels like old times, doesn't it?" Lily asked, looking up at Rufus with a smile.

Rufus smiled back at her. "Yeah, it does, actually. It's nice not being at each other's throats, aye?

Lily smiled and nodded, then took a sip of her hot chocolate.

They walked in silence for a bit, just enjoying the scenery.

"Look! The carousel is running! We should go on it!" Rufus said, his eyes lit up.

Lily looked at him, a smirk on her face. "Rufus, are you kidding me? We're in our late forties. We're not kids anymore."

Rufus shook his head at her. "Oh, come on, Lil! You act like we're ancient! A lot of adults ride the carousel with or without kids."

Lily sipped her hot chocolate again. "I'm sorry, Rufus, but I'm simply not getting on that thing."

"You're no fun!" Rufus said with a pout.

"That's not what you used to say," Lily said with a smirk.

Rufus blushed. He didn't know why Lily kept making sexual references. It was making him slightly uncomfortable. He guessed she was just trying to embarrass him. She used to do that a lot of that back in the day. She'd always tell him he got worked up too easy. She liked to embarrass him since it was easy to do. She used to tell him he was sexy when he was embarrassed.

Well, he knew what to say to get her right back. "I just didn't want you to feel bad."

Her mouth dropped open. "Gee, thanks!" she said, playfully pushing him.

He grinned.

They walked by a lady selling roses. He was having such a good time with Lily, he decided to buy her one. "I'll take two, please," he said to the lady. He took out his wallet and handed her the money.

"Thank you, Sir! Here are two of my best roses!" she said with a smile.

Rufus handed her an extra five dollar bill. "Thank you," he said to her, then putting his wallet back in his pocket, and taking the two red roses from her.

"Thank _you_!" she said, her eyes lit up from receiving the extra money.

"You're very welcome!" Rufus said to her before turning to Lily.

Lily nodded at the roses. "That's nice. I'm sure Lisa will love them."

"Actually, one of them is for you!" Rufus handed her the rose.

She raised an eyebrow, and took it from him. "For me?"

He nodded. "In honor of getting our friendship back."

Lily brought the rose to her nose and inhaled, smiling as she did so. She then pulled him in for a hug, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you," she murmured into his left ear.

He kissed her cheek in return. "You're very welcome."

They walked around the park for a while, talking, and having a good time. Soon, however, it was nearing six, and Rufus had to go.

"I had a really fun day today. I'm already looking forward to Monday," he said sincerely.

Lily grinned. Me too!" She tossed her empty hot chocolate cut into the trash bin.

Rufus did the same, then kissed her cheek. "Have a good night, Lil."

"Thanks, Rufus." Lily kissed his cheek in return. "You too. Thanks again for the beautiful rose." She brought it to her nose and smiled again.

"You're welcome, Beautiful. I'll call you later!" Rufus then took off, smiling to himself at the way Lily's face had lit up when he called her beautiful. As he had told her earlier, he always _was_ a sucker for seeing her happy.

~Begin Again~

While she walked home, Lily smiled to herself as she smelled the rose Rufus had given her. It felt _so_ good to have him back in her life again, and back on good terms. She would never admit it to William, but getting Rufus back in her life had been the best Valentine's Day present she ever could have asked for.

There was just something about being with Rufus that made her heart beat a little faster, and her stomach fill with butterflies. It wasn't that she was in love with him still. She certainly was not. She loved her husband very much! It was just that Rufus always had a special place in her heart as a person, and he always would. After all, they went back a lot of years, her and him. Together, they had been through a lot, and that kind of thing bonded people.

Lily was still smiling to herself and thinking about Rufus, when a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Hello, Lily."

Lily looked up, feeling just a bit of her happiness slip away. "Hello, Lisa. Back from the spa?"

Lisa nodded. "I'm on my way back home. I was about to catch a cab, but then I saw you, and figured I'd stop by and say hello."

"Where's Serena?" Lily asked, looking around in hopes of spotting her daughter. She did want to be friends with Lisa, but she wanted to ease into it. Right now, being alone with her just felt awkward.

"She left to run an errand before heading home to Dan. She wanted to pick up something for dinner," Lisa explained.

"Oh, I see." Lily said, rubbing her arm with her hand that wasn't holding the rose. She didn't know if it was just her paranoia, or what, but Lisa didn't sound like her usual friendly self. In fact, she sounded a little bit cold, and not the weather kind of cold. "So, did you two enjoy your day at the spa?" she asked, trying to sound cheery.

"Yeah, we had a great time. In fact, Serena kind of feels like a daughter to me," Lisa stated.

Lily squeezed the rose tight, making sure to avoid the thorns. She smiled big and insincere. "Well, that's a good thing, for you'll soon be a mother-in-law to her."

Lisa nodded at the rose in Lily's hand. "Is that from Rufus?"

Lily nodded. "Some lady was selling them in the park. He got one for you too!" Lily knew Rufus had probably wanted to surprise Lisa with it, but she figured the situation called for the revelation. Rufus would understand, she knew.

"So, what did you and my fiancé do today?" Lisa asked.

Lily shifted from one foot to the other. She was getting cold, and really just wanted to go home. But, she had promised Rufus she'd get along with Lisa, and she had meant it, so she answered Lisa's question. "Well, we had lunch at Fred's, then played a round of bowling. After that, we went for dessert and coffee, then window shopped for a bit. We finished with a walk in the park."

"Who won the game?" Lisa asked.

"Rufus. But it was close!" Lily said, laughing nervously.

Lisa sighed. "Look, Lily, I'm going to get to the point. I really don't like how close you and my soon-to-be husband are. When you were supposedly out of his life, he was absolutely miserable, and his head was always in the clouds. Then, today, he took off work to be with you, which he never did for me before. All of this shows me that he cares for you even more deeply than I thought he did. You're a smart woman, Lily. You connive and scheme with the best. In fact, I think you could pretty much be considered a pro. That is, with everyone but me."

Lily was surprised to say the least. "Excuse me?"

Lisa shook her head. "I may appear all sweet and innocent, but it doesn't make me stupid, Lily. I know exactly what you're trying to do. You're trying to steal Rufus away from me so that you can have him all to yourself!"

Lily's mouth dropped open. She had no idea where all this was coming from. "I am not! I am a happily married woman, I'll have you know!"

"Then why are you constantly trying to make me look like the bad guy, huh? When you're not accusing me of cheating, you're accusing me of stealing. What next? Are you going to accuse me of selling drugs?" Lisa snapped.

"I made a couple of mistakes. I was looking out for a friend the first time, and the second time, I was defending myself. I was wrong, and I apologized for it. You said you forgave me, but I see now that it was all a show for Rufus!" Lily said.

Lisa shook her head. "I do forgive you, but it doesn't mean I trust you. You're a loose cannon, Lily. I never know when you're going to go off. I don't like that you're going to be spending a whole day once a week with my fiancé."

"So, what are you going to do about it? Forbid him from seeing me?" Lily asked.

Lisa shrugged. "Not for now. You seem to make him happy for some strange reason, so I won't forbid him from seeing you. He'd just end up resenting me. However, if I think even for a _second_ that you're trying to horn in on him again, or if you try to accuse me of _one_ more thing, or try to get me out of his life in any way, you will be gone from his life—for good this time. I'm his fiancé, and soon to be wife. He'll listen to me. If I want you out of his life again, you'll be out of his life again."

"You just said you saw how miserable he was without me in his life. You'd really force him into being miserable again?" Lily asked, her arms crossed over her chest, and an eyebrow raised.

Lisa nodded. "A woman has to do what she has to do to keep her man. Besides, he'd eventually get over it. I'd help him."

Lily sighed. "Well, I can assure you that I want nothing more than friendship from him. I love my husband very much. Rufus and I are wrong for each other in the romance department. That's why we always broke up every time we were together."

Lisa nodded. "Good! You better keep it that way. No more kissing him either. I know it had to have been you that did the seducing on New Year's Eve."

Lily laughed. "Seducing? Please! There was no, 'seducing.'" Lily made air quotes when she said the word seduce. "We just got caught up in the moment. Nothing more, nothing less. He and I were _both_ to blame."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Whatever! Just don't let it happen again, or else—"

Lily cut Lisa off. "I know, I know. Or else you'll make sure Rufus cuts me out of his life again."

Lisa nodded, then narrowed her eyes at Lily. "For good this time!"

Lily squeezed the rose again. She imagined it was Lisa's throat.

Lisa's expression suddenly turned soft. She smiled at Lily. "Rufus told me you want to be friends with me. I'd like that too. I really don't want to be at war with you, Lily. As long as you keep things platonic with my soon-to-be husband, then you and I will be good. Actually, _better_ than good! I'll call you sometime soon, and we can get together for lunch and a movie or something." Lisa smiled and winked at her.

"Uh, sure," Lily said after a brief bout of surprised hesitation.

"Have a good night!" Lisa said with a bright smile. She gently rubbed Lily's right shoulder with her left hand, then headed down the street a bit, and hailed a cab. She then got into the cab, shut the door, and was soon being sped away from Lily.

Lily sighed. "What the hell was that?" she asked out loud to no one in particular.

~BA~

It had taken all I had in me to not throw down my rose, pounce of Lisa, and have a full on throw down. I wanted to dig my nails into Lisa's neck, and squeeze until she stopped spouting those nasty words. But I knew that if I did, Lisa would go crying to Rufus that I hurt her for no reason, and once again, Rufus would be angry with me. Lisa would then see to it that he cut me out of his life. I just couldn't let that happen. I couldn't be out of Rufus' life again. So, unfortunately, I had to pretend to like Lisa. I had to be understanding when it came to her. I couldn't attack her. I had to do what she said.

Gosh, it felt like I was being blackmailed! In a way, I was. The little bitch. I knew she wasn't as perfect as she led everyone to believe she was!

I wished I could go to William and have him take care of her, but he likes me with Rufus probably even less than Lisa does. Though, at least William's not an ass about it.

I didn't like Rufus as anything more than a friend anyway. Lisa was crazy! She proved that when she went from psycho bitch to Little Miss Sunshine in 2.3 seconds.

I sighed, and continued walking the last block to my apartment. I'd let Lisa win. I'd be a perfect friend to her. For now. But if Lisa tried pulling something like turning Rufus against me, I promise you, I would show her a lever of bitch she'd never even imagined before.

"You're a loose cannon, Lily. I never know when you're going to go off," she had said. Yeah, well, if she even tried _one_ thing on me, this cannon was going to go off, and I assure you, I wouldn't miss my target. After all, she should know more than anyone, you don't mess with Lily van der Woodsen.

~BA~

Lily arrived home, still fuming. She grabbed a vase, filled it with water, then put the rose in it.  
How dare Lisa try to tell her what to do?

Lily cried out, and slammed her palms down on the island countertop. She was so angry!

She kicked off her shoes, and flung off her coat, tossing it to the couch. She then stormed up the stairs. She was glad that William wasn't home yet. She needed time to cool off before he got home.

She plopped herself down onto the bed on her stomach, buried her face in her pillow, then screamed as loud as she could all the while kicking her legs and flailing her arms. She knew she was acting just like Serena did when she was ten and didn't get what she wanted. But Lily really didn't care right now. Lisa had ticked her off, and she needed to get the anger out before she killed somebody—namely Lisa.

After a good minute, Lily was able to calm herself down. She rolled over onto her back, and stared up at the ceiling. She was okay now. She was. She would be sweet as pie to Lisa, and she wouldn't tell Rufus about Lisa's outburst. She would be a good little friend to both Rufus _and_ Lisa. But if Lisa tried anything, she would be on her like a shark on a human with an open wound. If Lisa was smart, she'd watch her back.

~Begin Again~

Meanwhile, Rufus decided to walk part of the way home. Of course it was too long of a walk to not take a cab, but he wanted to walk just a little bit of the way to think about his day with Lily.

Things had been just like old times. She had been the fun, enjoyable Lily she had been when he first met her.

He thought about how happy she had been earlier when she had hit all the pins, and he smiled to himself when he remembered her little butt wiggle.

He thought of the way her face had lit up when he gave her the rose, and how she had smiled so sweetly at him, and kissed his cheek.

He sighed. He must have been crazy to think he could live without her. They may not have been right for each other as lovers, but as friends, they were perfect for each other.

It was starting to get a little cold, so he figured now would be the time to get a cab. He figured he'd have better luck catching a cab on the other side of the street, so he waited for cars to pass so that he could cross over to the other side of the street. However, once it was clear, and he had a free path to the other side, he remained firmly planted right where he was. He was too surprised and shocked to move. "William?" he asked out loud, though so quiet that only he himself could possibly hear.

There was a man across the street who looked exactly like William with his hands over some redhead's waist, and his lips pressed against hers. He was making out with her as if it were his last night to ever kiss a woman.

Rufus kept watching, silently willing them to stop kissing so that he could see the guy's face full on.

His willing seemed to have worked, for no more than ten seconds later, they broke the kiss.

The girl was very attractive and young looking. And the guy, well, he was definitely William van der Woodsen. Rufus would know that cocky smile and squinty eyes anywhere.

Rufus watched as the red head smiled at William, and gently stroked his hair. Then he watched as William pulled her in for another passionate kiss.

Rufus made a face. He knew it! He knew that scumbag hadn't changed a bit! He thought about confronting William, but he knew it would do no good. All he'd be doing was giving William a heads up that he was on to him, and by doing so, he'd also be giving William time to make up some out there lie.

Rufus quickened his pace, and hurried up his own side of the street before William could spot him. He'd catch a cab further down. And when he got home, he'd have to figure out how the hell he was going to tell Lily about William's betrayal. He knew it wouldn't be easy to make her believe him, but he'd _make_ her believe him. It was either that or die trying. Though right now, the only one he felt should be dead was of course, William van der Woodsen.


	10. Snitch

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 10: Snitch**_

Rufus hadn't slept well all night. He knew he had to tell Lily as soon as possible about William cheating on her. The question was how. He knew Lily long enough and well enough to know that she wasn't going to believe him at first. After all, she knew how much he disliked William. It would be easy for her to say that he was just doing this to try to get William out of her life. He'd have to make her see that he was telling the truth though. Her being with William was bad enough when William was just an ass. But, now that Rufus was sure that William was a cheater as well... She had to know. He simply wouldn't allow her to remain with a cheater. Lily was better than that.

Lisa stirred beside him as the sunlight poured through their bedroom window. He looked over at her, and felt kind of guilty. He hadn't told her about William cheating on Lily. He had wanted to, but Lisa had seemed really on edge the night before, despite her having just come from being at the spa all day. He thought back to when he had arrived home.

_"Where were you?" Lisa asked._

_ "Out with Lily. You knew that," Rufus said, a little surprised at her greeting._

_ "I bumped into Lily near the spa, and that was a good half hour ago at least! You had already gone, so I figured you'd have been back by now," Lisa said, having quickly made her way across the room. She was now standing directly in front of him._

_ "I wanted to walk part of the way home. It's a nice day out to walk," Rufus explained._

_ "Are you kidding? With that wind out there, it's cold!" Lisa said._

_ "Well, it wasn't too bad when I was out," Rufus said. He didn't want to tell Lisa that he had had such a good time with Lily that he had wanted to spend some time to think about his and Lily's day. He handed her the rose, hoping it would get him off the hook for taking so long. "I bought this for you in the park," he said with a smile._

_ She took the rose from him. "Thank you. It's pretty." She sniffed it. "And it smells good too. Just like the one you gave Lily."_

_ Rufus blushed. "You saw hers when you saw her I take it."_

_ Lisa shrugged. "How could I not? She was holding it. She told me you bought me one too."_

_ "I bought _her_ one because we were spending the day together, and _you_ one because you're my beautiful fiancé, and I thought you should have a beautiful flower to go with your beautiful face." Rufus smiled at her, and gently stroked her right cheek._

_ Lisa smiled at him, and nuzzled her cheek against his hand. "Good answer." _

_ Rufus kissed her cheek. "It's the truth!"_

_ "Well, thank you. I love it!" Lisa took one more sniff, then went over to the island, took out a vase, and filled it with water. "So, how was your day with Lily?" she asked as she set the water-filled vase on the island, and plopped the rose into it._

_ Rufus sat down across from Lisa on the other side of the island."It was fun! We had lunch, and then bowled a game of bowling. I won. We then had dessert and coffee, did a little window shopping, and finished the day off with a walk in Central Park. How was your spa day with Serena?"_

_ Lisa leaned over the island counter, resting her elbows on it. "Relaxing!" She grinned. "I love having bonding time with Serena. She's a wonderful girl. Dan knew what he was doing when he asked her to marry him."_

_ Rufus nodded. "Yeah, she sure is, and he does."_

_ Lisa smiled. "So, what should we do for dinner?"_

They had decided where to eat dinner, and that had been the end of the Lily conversation. Rufus figured he had better not bring up William cheating on Lily to her. She didn't seem to want to talk much about Lily anymore. Besides, it somehow didn't seem right to him to discuss it with Lisa before even telling Lily about it. After all, it was Lily's business—not Lisa's. It was only _his_ business because he had discovered the fact that William was cheating.

Rufus sighed. He had to tell Lily as soon as possible. He had to tell her that William was cheating on her. She was just going to have to listen, and she was going to have to believe him. It was settled then. He'd call her today when Lisa wasn't around, and ask her to come down tot he gallery. He'd tell her there on his lunch break. He just hoped she didn't want to shoot the messenger when he told her.

~Begin Again~

"Mm what a beautiful way to start off the morning!" Lily said with a bright smile as she and William lie in bed post lovemaking.

William grinned at her. "It's pretty great when I go into work an hour later, isn't it?"

Lily smiled, and snuggled up close to him, resting her head on his chest. "Mm... It sure is!"

William sighed. "Unfortunately though, I have to take a shower and get dressed. I have a surgery I have to perform in an hour and a half!"

Lily pouted, and kissed his chest. "You always have to go too soon."

"The downside of being a doctor," William said with a sigh. He kissed her right shoulder blade. "Don't worry. When I get home tonight, we'll go out and do something fun."

Lily grinned slyly at him. She gently stroked his cheek. "Or stay in and do something fun." She winked at him.

William laughed. "Yes, that could definitely work too! In fact, I like your idea even better." He quickly kissed her lips. "I gotta go get ready!" he then said, quickly sliding off the bed.

Lily watched him leave with a sigh. "I'll go make you a quick breakfast," she said, then getting out of bed, and slipping her robe on.

"Thanks, Darling! You're the best!" William said, walking toward her to kiss her cheek. He then headed to the bathroom to take his shower.

Lily sighed, then headed down to the kitchen. She understood William's job was demanding, and she loved that he cared enough about people to choose a profession that helps people out. Still, she sometimes wished he had a job like Rufus'. After all, Rufus didn't have to be to work until nine, and he could get right out whenever he wanted to. After all, Rufus was the owner and his own boss. Actually, he only had to go in if and when he wanted to.

It must be nice to be Lisa, she thought. Only because she had a fiancé with a flexible work schedule that is, Lily assured herself. It certainly wasn't because she was still in love with Rufus. That ship had sailed a long time before. Even so, the fact remained, it'd be nice to be Lisa, Lily thought with a slight smile on her lips as she began making William's breakfast.

Ten minutes later, Lily finished with William's breakfast. All she had left to do was pour his coffee into the mug. She was about to, but her phone rang before she got the chance to.

She quickly dashed over to her purse that was setting on the island, and pulled out her iphone from it.

She looked to see who was calling, and couldn't help but smile when she saw who it was. She clicked on accept, and, the smile still on her face, answered the phone. "Hello, Rufus! To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

"Hey, Lil, I was wondering if you could come down to the gallery today around noonish? There's something I have to talk to you about."

"Sure." Lily smiled. "We just saw each other yesterday. Do you miss me already?"

"Yes, but that's not why I need to see you."

Lily crinkled her eyebrows together in confusion. "This sounds serious."

"Please just meet me at the gallery at noon. I promise to explain everything then."

"All right. Sure. I'll be there right at noon," Lily said. Rufus sounded a little off. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

"No, it's definitely nothing _you_ did wrong. Look, I have to go. I'll see you at noon, all right?"

"All right. I'll see you then, Rufus." Lily hung up the phone. She was curious now. Had he gotten into a fight with Lisa? Even though Lisa had said she wasn't going to stop him from seeing her for now, maybe Lisa had changed her mind. Maybe she had told Rufus she wanted him to stop seeing her, and Rufus wouldn't. Lily smiled. Maybe he had enjoyed yesterday so much that he wanted to get back together with her. Of course, this could never happen. She was very happily married to William. Even so, the thought of Rufus wanting her back made her feel good. After all, what woman didn't want to be desired? It was a wonderful feeling on its own to be desired by one man, but by two? Well, that would make her feel even more beautiful and desirable than she already knew she was.

"Who was that on the phone?" William asked as he buttoned one of his heart-shaped cufflinks that Lily had given him for Valentine's Day onto his left sleeve. He had just come down the stairs.

"Oh, it was just Serena asking me if I wanted to do lunch today. I told her yes of course. I miss my mother-daughter time with her. You know, when they're kids, they never want to leave your side. Then, once they get older, they hardly ever want to be by your side." Lily felt bad for lying, but she knew William would just get worked up if she told him the truth. After all, it was no big secret that he didn't like Rufus very much. And he liked her hanging out with Rufus even less than he liked Rufus.

"True, but we know our children still love us and need us. They may not need us as much as they used to, but they still need us." William came up from behind her, and hugged her tightly. "No need to worry though, because you'll always have me." He kissed the side of her neck. "That counts for something, right?" he asked, smiling at her.

She grinned, and lovingly kissed his lips. "Of course it does!"

He grinned too, and kissed her once more before going over to the kitchen to pour his coffee. "Mm, everything looks delicious! Thank you for making it for me, my Darling."

"You're very welcome, my Darling," Lily said, sitting down at the island, propping her right elbow on the island countertop, restring her chin on her right hand, and smiling at him. Yes, she loved her husband more than life its self. Even so, she could hardly wait until noon. She wondered what Rufus wanted. The suspense was absolutely killing her!

~Begin Again~

Rufus looked at his watch. It was noon. His last customer had just left. Of course, seeing as he wasn't officially closed, he could get another customer at any time. But for now, it would be just him and Lily. That is, if Lily would hurry up and get there. He hoped she wasn't late. Not only did he want to talk to her before anyone else came in, but he also wanted to talk to her before he lost his nerve.

Thankfully, he didn't have to worry. For, a minute later, Lily came into the gallery. She looked stunning as usual. Actually, there wasn't a single time he saw her that his breath didn't get taken away. This made him all the more angry at William. How could anyone cheat on Lily? Of course, William was a scumbag. Rufus had known that from the day he met him. He had never liked William. He actually wasn't surprised that all that William had cheated on her.

Lily smiled brightly when she saw him. She pulled him close, and kissed his left cheek. "Good afternoon, Rufus! How are you today?"

He kissed her right cheek in return. "I'm doing all right. But I really need to talk to you. Good afternoon to you too, by the way."

"What do you need to talk to me about?" Lily asked.

"Let's sit down," Rufus said, leading her over to the bench.

"I'm getting a weird sense of déjà vu!" Lily said with a smile as she sat down on the bench.

Rufus smiled weakly as he sat down next to her. "I have something really important to tell you, and I don't want to be interrupted, so I'm just going to come right out and say it," he said. Lily looked like she was expecting something. For a brief moment, he wondered if she knew what he was going to say. Then again, she looked too happy to know.

He took a deep breath, and slowly let it out. Then, he placed his right hand over her left shoulder. She was going to need his support, he knew. "This is so hard for me to say."

Lily smiled at him. "Just say it, Rufus. You know you can tell me anything."

Rufus nodded. He sighed again before coming out with it. "Lily, William is cheating on you with some redhead. On my way home yesterday, I saw him across the street with some redhead. They had their arms around each other, and they were kissing pretty passionately."

Lily's face was expressionless for a moment, then her lips broke into a smile. "I get it. You're trying to get back at me for telling you Lisa was cheating on you when she really wasn't."

Rufus was confused "What? No! I already forgave you for that. Anyway, I wouldn't joke like that. I really did see him kissing some redhead. I'm sorry, Lil."

Lily shook her head. "No. You must have seen wrong."

Rufus shook his head as well. "I didn't see wrong. During the brief moment that he stopped kissing her, I was able to clearly see his face. It was him."

"Why were you walking home anyway? It's a long walk from the park to Brooklyn." Lily sounded a little annoyed.

"I wanted to just enjoy a walk for part of the way. I had enjoyed our day together a lot, and wanted time to myself to think about it. I know I could have done that in a cab, but I felt like walking for a bit. When I got cold, I was going to head across the street to catch a cab, and that's when I saw him across the street, kissing that redhead," Rufus explained.

Lily's expression softened. "You probably just saw wrong then. I mean, how could you possibly see clearly when he was all the way across the street?"

"Lily, I saw his face clearly. Trust me. There wasn't that much of a space between us. Besides, my eyesight is perfect now that I have my glasses," he insisted. He pushed his glasses back on his nose as if for emphasis.

Lily shook her head again. "You saw someone that looked like him, but it wasn't him. William would never cheat on me." She stood up.

Rufus stood up as well, and faced her. "Lily, I'm telling you, I am a hundred percent sure it was William! I wouldn't have told you if I had even a _shred_ of uncertainty about it."

Lily sighed. "Rufus, you don't like William, so you wanted it to be him. Your mind convinced you that it was him. I assure you, it wasn't. I know my husband. He loves me very much, and he would _never_ cheat on me!"

"Most wives don't want to believe their husbands are cheating on them when in fact, they really are. Some men are just really good at hiding it," Rufus said, his eyes locked on Lily's.

Lily stared deep into his eyes, her lips in a straight line. Rufus knew that look. She was angry, but trying to keep her cool.

"Rufus," Lily said calmly, "I think right now we should just agree to disagree. We just started to become close again, and I really don't care to throw that all away. You don't like William. I get it. I know you think he's cheating on me, but I really don't think he is. Let's just leave it at that. All right?"

"But, Lil!" Rufus tried once more. He didn't want her going back to that scum as if nothing had ever happened!

Lily held her right hand up to him. "Rufus, I'm really trying to keep my cool right now, so please don't push me into losing it. I don't want to argue with you again. Please, just let this go. You're not going to change my mind about this."

Rufus sighed. "Fine. I'll let it go." _For now,_ he silently added.

Lily nodded. "Good. Thank you." She hugged him, and kissed his left cheek. "I know you think you're looking out for me, so I'm not angry with you." She let go of him, and smiled. "Are we still on for Monday?"

Rufus nodded, and managed to put on a smile. "I'll call you later when I decide where we should eat. I know it's my choice since I won the bet, but do you have any preferences?"

Lily shook her head. "You know me—I'm not picky." She smiled, and gave him a slight wave. "Talk to you soon!"

Rufus waved back, giving a slightly less enthusiastic smile. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Lily smiled. "Me too." She left the gallery then, the bell of the door jingling behind her.

Rufus sighed. This wasn't over. He wasn't going to let William cheat on her and get away with it. He had to make Lily see the truth. He didn't know how yet, but Lord help him, he'd think of something.

~Begin Again~

Lily walked home, feeling so many emotions at once. She felt disappointed that Rufus hadn't split with Lisa. She felt stupid for thinking he wanted her back. As for Rufus' real reason for wanting to see her, well, she didn't know whether to be angry with him for accusing William of cheating, or touched that he was looking out for her. She supposed, she really couldn't be angry. After all, she knew firsthand what it had been like to accuse someone of cheating and being wrong about it. She especially couldn't be mad when it was his fiancé she had accused. Even so, the whole situation left a nasty taste in her mouth. She knew William would never cheat on her. In fact, the whole idea was absolutely absurd! Heck she didn't even think the _old_ William would have cheated on her.

She arrived at her apartment, absentmindedly giving Vanya a smile, and a nod of hello as she got into the elevator, and made her way up to her apartment.

When she got there, she set her purse down on the island, then kicked off her shoes. Next, she took off her coat, tossed it onto the couch, then headed up to take a warm bubble bath. After all, she did her best thinking in bubble baths.

Five minutes later, she was soaking in the tub, deciding if she should tell William of Rufus' accusations or not. One on hand, he would probably get angry with Rufus. What if he didn't want her seeing Rufus again? Or, what if he went over to Rufus' and had it out with him? On the other hand, William knew better than to forbid her from anything. And, as for William going over to Rufus' and having it out with him, well, William wasn't a fighter. He never had been. Besides, she was pretty sure that Rufus could take him.

She sighed. She supposed the right thing to do would be to confront William. After all, hadn't Rufus gotten on her case for not going to Lisa when she had thought Lisa was cheating on him? Now here Rufus wasn't going to William when he thought William was the one cheating. Lily loved Rufus, but he could be so hypocritical sometimes, she knew.

Lily sighed again. She knew what she had to do. She had to tell William about the accusations. She wasn't worried. She knew it wasn't him. In fact, they would have a good laugh about it together.

Feeling much better, Lily grabbed her loofa, and squeezed some body wash onto it. As long as she was in the bathtub, she might as well wash up, she figured.

~Begin Again~

William arrived home, whistling happily. He had gotten out of work early, and gone to Cassidy's for a quickie. One of this things he loved the most about Cassidy was the fact that she could make it _so_ good no matter how little time they had. She was amazing. In fact, when it came to the bedroom, she put Lily to shame. Maybe that's why he was keeping her around for so long.

The elevator doors opened, and William stepped into the apartment. He was surprised to see Lily sitting on the couch, looking toward him as if she had been waiting for him.

"Good evening, my Love," he said as he took his coat off, and set it on top of hers on the arm of the couch. He sat down next to her. "You look troubled. What's wrong?"

Lily sighed. "Nothing's wrong, really. But there's something I have to ask you about."

William shrugged. "Okay, go for it."

"Were you near Central Park at all on Monday, say around sixish?" Lily asked him, her eyes locked on his.

William knew exactly how to answer this one. "No, I was stuck in surgery. Remember, I was a little late in getting home?"

Lily nodded, looking relieved. "That's right. I do remember you mentioning something about a gallbladder surgery, now that you mention it."

"I would have much preferred to be in the park though! It's a lot more fun than that surgery was. I mean, it turned out just fine, but it took longer than usual. I didn't have my usual staff members in with me that day. I hate having to work with substitutes." William shook his head, then looked Lily in the eyes again. "So, why are you asking?"

"Well, it's silly, really. You know his eyesight hasn't been the same since he got his glasses, no matter how much he insists it's better..." Lily began, looking down at the couch's seat, and running her right hand over the smooth white leather.

"What?" William asked. He had a sneaking suspicion...

Lily looked at him in the eyes yet again. "Well, Rufus claims he saw you kissing some redhead passionately across the street from the park."

William felt his heart beat faster and his stomach drop. He was going to kill Rufus. He laughed. "That's just silly! Like I told you, I was still in that gallbladder surgery. Besides, never in a million years would I ever cheat on you, Lily."

Lily looked down at the couch. "I know. I just thought I had to tell you."

William lifted her chin up with his right index finger, forcing her to look into his eyes. "Look at me, Lil." He looked deeply into her eyes. "I love you more than life itself, and you are the most beautiful woman in the world. You're the one great love of my life, and there is no reason on _earth_ I'd ever want to cheat on you. Nor would I need to."

Lily smiled at him. "I know. I didn't believe him for a second when she said you were cheating on me. I just wanted to mention this to you anyway. I figured you had the right to know."

William nodded. "I appreciate you telling me. I just wish Rufus would have come to me first before he went worrying you."

Lily shook her head. "I was't worried. I know you'd never cheat on me. And, seeing as you two aren't each other's biggest fans, and I'm his close friend and the one he thought was being cheated on, I can see why he came to me. Please don't be angry with him. Having been through this firsthand, me having accused Lisa of cheating and all, I can see where he was coming from. He just wanted to protect me."

William nodded. "Don't worry. I'm not going to cause any trouble. I just think he was more willing to see what he wanted to see because he hates me so much."

Lily took his hand in hers, and gently squeezed it. "I'm sure he doesn't _hate_ you. Just don't expect him to be your BFF anytime soon."

They grinned at each other.

William kissed her cheek. "I guess he is sort of like you in that way. You don't like his choice of partners anymore than he likes yours."

Lily nodded. "You got _that_ right! On my way home from the park today, I ran into Lisa. It was like she was stalking me because even though she was supposed to be at the spa, she was at the park. She claims she just got back."

"Really? I'm appalled! Stalking is something _you'd_ never do," William said with am amused grin.

Lily smirked. "Shut up!" She playfully pushed him, then continued. "Anyway, she isn't this sweet, innocent little thing that she makes herself out to be. She flat out told me that if she even thinks or a second that I'm into Rufus as more than just a friend, she will see to it that he kicks me out of his life again—this time for good. She said he was miserable without me, so she would leave it be for now. When I brought up the fact that she'd be making him miserable again if she asked him not to see me, she said he'd get over it. Can you believe the nerve of that bitch?" Lily rolled her eyes. As if I'd ever let her cut me out of Rufus' life. Who does she think she is, anyway? His warden?"

William smiled weakly. "So, you two aren't going to be BFFs anytime soon either?"

"Well, she said she wants to be friends, and that we can be really good friends as long as it stays platonic between Rufus and I." Lily crossed her arms over her chest, and rolled her eyes again.

William raised an eyebrow. "So, what did you tell her?"

Lily sighed. "What could I tell her? I can't be cut out of Rufus' life again. I'll go along with being her friend for now. But I swear, if she tries _anything_, anything at all to turn Rufus away from me, she's going to pay big time."

William was only half listening at this point. He was too busy being furious about Rufus snitching on him. Well, he wasn't about to let Rufus get away with it! If he knew Rufus, Rufus wasn't just going to let this one go.

William rubbed the knuckles of his left hand with the fingers from his right hand. He hadn't thought the time would come this quickly, but apparently it had. It was time to take Rufus down, and get him out of Lily's life—forever.

He smiled to himself. And, thanks to the information Lily had just given him, he knew just how to do it!

~Begin Again~

"Lisa! What are you doing here?" Rufus asked with a smile when Lisa showed up at the gallery. He pulled her close, and kissed her.

She hungrily kissed him back before answering. "I figured since we didn't get to do lunch together yesterday that we could today. Let's go out somewhere. I know you just took yesterday off, so I won't ask you to take the rest of the day off. Maybe just a half hour or so? I figured we can get some pizza from the pizza place down the street."

Rufus knew that he really couldn't say no to her after having taken the day off for Lily on Monday. "Sure. As you can see, no one is here right now anyway, so let's go." He quickly made up a sign that said he left at twelve thirty, and would be back by one thirty, then taped it to the door, facing the outside.

The pizza place was only five places down from the gallery, and it was fast food style, so it wasn't long at all before Rufus was sitting across from Lisa at a table in the pizza place, enjoying his slice of sausage pizza.

"So, how was your day so far?" Lisa asked him.

"It's been all right. I had to tell Lily some unfortunate news, but she didn't believe me anyway." Rufus took a sip of his Coke.

Lisa paused from eating her slice of pepperoni, and looked at Rufus in surprise. "Lily? What news? When did you talk to her?"

Rufus set down his pizza slice, and looked her in the eyes. "I was going to tell you, but I figured Lily needed to know first." Rufus then went onto explain how he had seen William across the street yesterday, making out with a mysterious redhead. He then told Lisa how he had called Lily and asked her to come to the gallery to discuss it at noon. Finally, he told her of how he had told Lily, but Lily didn't want to believe him."

Lisa took a sip of her cherry Coke before responding. "Well, I can certainly see her thinking you were lying to her to get back at her for accusing _me_ of cheating. I can also see how she wouldn't want to believe her husband is cheating on her. I mean, what woman would want to believe _that_?"

Rufus shrugged. "I know it's not pleasant, but she had to know."

"Are you a hundred percent sure that William is cheating on Lily? I mean, he seems like such a nice guy, and so in love with her! I never would have thought he'd be a cheater." Lisa took a bite of her garlic knot.

"What is it with women fawning all over William, thinking he's king of the world or something? He's not this innocent, charming guy you all seem to think he is. And of _course_ I'm sure. I never would have told Lily if I wasn't a hundred percent sure about it. I wouldn't hurt her without knowing for sure that I had to." Rufus took a huge bite out of his garlic knot, chewing it roughly. He was so sick of the women in his life seeing William as some perfect saint.

"She had no problem trying to hurt _you_ before she was sure," Lisa reminded him, sounding a bit bitter.

Rufus shrugged, and swallowed the chunk or roll that was still in his mouth. "She _thought_ she was sure."

Lisa sighed. "So, if I know you, which of course I do, you're not going to just let this go. So, what are you going to do about it?"

Rufus took a sip of his Coke before responding. "It's simple," he said. "I'm going to call Serena."

~Begin Again~

That night, Serena and Dan arrived at the loft. When Rufus had called Dan and Serena up, they had informed them they already had dinner and movie plans. However, Rufus had told them that he had something very important that he needed to talk to them about that couldn't wait, and that he would very much appreciate it if they would come over to the loft after the movie.

So, here they were, sitting on his couch, and wondering what was so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Rufus and Lisa sat down in the love seat beside the couch.

"So, what's this all about?" Dan asked.

Rufus sighed. He knew Serena wasn't going to like to hear this but, like Lily had to hear it, so did she. She deserved to know what kind of man her father was. "It's about William. He's cheating on Lily."

"Wait. What?" Serena asked, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Rufus sighed again, then recounted Monday evening when he had seen William kissing the redhead.

When he finished, Serena was the first to speak. "You just saw wrong. My father would never cheat on my mother. He loves her too much!"

"That's exactly what your mother said when I told her earlier today," Rufus stated.

"So, you told her?" Serena asked in surprise.

Rufus nodded. "She was the first person I told. She didn't believe me, but I assure you, Serena, I am a hundred and ten percent sure of what I saw. It was William, and without a doubt in my mind, he was making out with a redhead like there was no tomorrow."

"I can't believe he'd do such a thing," Serena said with a shake of her head. She looked positively crushed, wish showed she believed it despite what she had previously said. "I really thought he had changed."

Rufus looked down to his lap. "I'm sorry, Serena. I'm not trying to hurt you. I just thought you really needed to know."

"It's okay, Rufus," Serena said. "Thank you for telling me. You're right. I deserve to know."

"So, what are we going to do if Lily doesn't believe it?" Dan asked.

"Don't worry. I'll make her believe it," Serena said.

Rufus looked at her, and nodded. "Thank you! I was _hoping_ you'd say that."

"How are you going to make he believe you?" Lisa asked skeptically.

Serena stood up. "I'm her daughter. She _has_ to listen to me."

Rufus nodded again. "So far so good. Now, if Serena could pull this off, William would be out of Lily's life. In fact, he'd be out of _all_ their lives just as he should be. He stood up as well. "Just don't tell her in front of your father. I'm sure he'll just find some way to mess with her head."

Serena shook her head. "Don't worry. I am going to tell her tomorrow while he's at work. I'm honestly too exhausted to even think about telling her tonight anyway."

"Good!" Rufus said.

Dan stood up as well, and then Lisa followed suit.

Serena hugged Rufus. "Thanks again for telling me."

"Thanks for believing me," Rufus said to her as he hugged her back.

Serena broke the hug, and looked him in the eyes. "You're a good man, Rufus. I know you wouldn't accuse my father if you weren't a hundred percent sure. No matter how much you don't like him, you're not the kind of person to make up a lie about him just to get him out of the way. You _especially_ wouldn't hurt my mother that way. And, I hate to say it, but, even though I thought my father changed, I know my father _is_ that kind of guy clearly, because he's hurt my mother and lied to her in the past."

Rufus nodded, but didn't say a word.

Dan hugged his father. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you when you said you didn't trust him."

"It's all right," Rufus said, hugging his son back. "I know that, to someone who doesn't know William that well, it did look like he had changed."

"I guess you never really know with people," Dan said. He broke the hug, then placed an arm around Serena, who had just put her coat back on. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

Serena nodded. "I'll be fine."

Dan put his coat on as well, then, after everyone exchanged goodbyes, Dan and Serena left, leaving Rufus and Lisa alone.

"Do you think she'll be able to convince Lily of the truth?" Lisa asked.

Rufus placed an arm around her and sighed. "I sure hope so. If not, it's on to Plan B. Or C, if you count me telling her as Plan A."

"And saying you were plan A, what's plan C?" Lisa asked, looking up at him.

Rufus shrugged. "I don't know. But I promise you, I'll think of something." After all, there was no way in hell he was going to let William have Lily now. No way in hell.

~Begin Again~

Serena sat in the lobby of her parent's apartment, trying to think of how she was going to tell her mother that Rufus had been telling the truth about William. That William really had been cheating on her. She supposed there was no easy way to say it. Lily wasn't going to want to hear it. Serena knew how much Lily wanted to believe that William had changed. Heck, Serena had wanted to believe it too. She guessed she should have known better. After all, their father walked out on them when they were younger. That should have showed her what kind of a man he was right there.

Serena headed into the elevator, dreading the conversation she was about to have with her mother. She hated that her father hadn't changed. She thought when he came back to get to know her and Eric again that he really did care about them after all. That he really had changed for the better, and that they could all be a family again.

The elevator doors opened, and Serena stepped into her parents' apartment. She guessed you couldn't always get what you wanted, no matter how badly you wanted it. Because frankly, some people and some things would never change.

~BA~

I didn't want to believe Rufus when he told me that Dad was cheating. Actually, a big part of me wanted to smack him, and tell him to go to hell. I wanted to believe that he was just making it up to get rid of my father. After all, it's no secret that Rufus and my father hate each other. But, deep down, I knew he was telling the truth. I know Rufus, and I know that he isn't capable of lying like this. Not even for revenge on Lily for falsely accusing Lisa of cheating. Trust me, that thought had crossed my mind. The sad thing is, Rufus is a better man than my father ever was even after I thought my father had changed. I could certainly see my father scheming like that, but Rufus? No. It just wasn't him to do something like that. It's never been who he is.

"Serena, what a lovely surprise! What are you doing here?" my mother asked, smiling as she came into the foyer to greet me. "Do you want to do lunch?"

I felt bad, for I knew that smile would wipe right off her face once I told her the reason I was there.

I nodded. "We can do lunch if you'd like, but first there's something I have to discuss with you."

Suddenly, my mother's eyes narrowed. "Rufus got to you, didn't he?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Mom, you know Rufus better than anyone, so if _I_ know that Rufus isn't the kind of guy to lie about Dad cheating, then you should know it too!" I insisted.

My mother sighed. "I'm not saying he's lying, Serena. I'm saying that he only _thought_ it was William. Rufus is getting older. His eyesight isn't what it used to be. In fact, he had to get glasses because of it. We can't trust what he thought he saw—especially when the guy he thought was your father was all the way across the street. Anyway, your father was performing surgery at the time that Rufus supposedly saw him kissing another woman. It couldn't have been him."

"Mom, Dan and I were out to dinner with Rufus the other night, and he saw a quarter on the floor from halfway across the room. The lighting was even dim. Trust me, his eyes work fine with his glasses. And, as for Dad being in surgery, do you have any proof of that?" I hated working against my father, but he left me no choice. He had the chance to better himself and he chose not to, so now he couldn't be in my life. And he certainly couldn't be in my mother's life.

"I don't need proof, Serena. I trust your father." My mother sounded and looked annoyed. I bet she was even more annoyed than she looked.

"Like Dad would really admit it if he was cheating on you," I said. My mother was smart, but sometimes, she could be totally naïve.

My mother recrossed her arms. "Why are you doing this, Serena? You're really going to believe Rufus over your own father?"

"Trust me, Mom, I don't want to! I have to though because once again, Dad messed up, and this time, he's gone too far. I've given him chance after chance, and right now, he's just run out of chances. Rufus isn't the type to make such accusations unless he is a hundred and ten percent sure. Deep down, you know that's true!" I was almost in tears. For one, it was hurtful that my mother wouldn't even believe me, her own daughter, and for two, I hated my mother being so naïve that she was getting hurt without even knowing about it!

My mother sighed. "Serena, I love you. I will always love you no matter what. You're my daughter, and that's never going to change."

"Well, then if you love me, believe me. I'm telling the truth, Mom. If you really care about me as much as you say, you will believe me." I stomped my foot. I knew it was childish, but I couldn't help it. I was just so frustrated! Do you know how frustrating it is to not get someone to believe you even though you're right? It's even more frustrating when it's so important that they believe you, and they don't!

Lily shook her head. "I'm sorry, Serena, but I just can't believe you on this one, because I think Rufus has you brainwashed into believing what he thought he saw. Now, I'd love to do lunch with you, but if you're just going to try to convince me to turn on your father and believe that he cheated on me, then I can't have lunch with you."

"Then I guess you'll be eating alone!" I snapped.

I headed to the elevator and got onto it. My mother didn't even try to stop me before the doors closed, shutting us out of each other's line of view.

~BA~

When Serena arrived back in the lobby, she knew what she had to do. She took out her cell phone, and searched through her contacts until she found the name she was looking for. Then, she pressed the call button, and waited for her contact to answer.

"Hey, what's up?"

"There's a situation I'm gonna need your help with," Serena stated.

"How big?"

"Pretty big. My father is cheating on my mother, and my mother doesn't want to hear it," Serena explained.

"Where should we meet you?"

"We?" Serena asked in surprise.

"I'm bringing in reinforcements."

"Meet me at Rufus' as soon as you can," Serena ordered.

"I'll be there in an hour."

Serena's contact had hung up, so Serena did as well. She stuffed her phone into her purse, then headed to Rufus', feeling a little better, for she knew that her contact always had a plan, and said contact's plans rarely ever failed.

~Begin Again~

"So, what did she say?" Rufus asked when he opened the door to find Serena and Dan on the other side of the door.

"She didn't believe me. I guess we all should have known she wouldn't." Serena pushed passed Rufus into the room.

Dan was right behind her. "But don't worry. We have another plan. Or rather, we will."

Rufus slid the door shut, then turned around to face them. "Come again?"

Serena smiled proudly. "I called in reinforcements. They should be here any time now."

Lisa walked into the room then. "Any luck?" she asked.

Serena shook her head as she draped her coat over the couch. "No, but I called for help." She winked at Lisa.

As if on cue, there was a knock at the door.

"Well, that was timed!" Lisa joked.

Serena grinned at her, and Rufus opened the door.

In walked Blair and Chuck.

"No need to worry! Mother Schemer is here," Blair said as she waltzed into the loft. She grinned. "Gosh, it feels so good to be scheming again! It's been far too long since my last scheme."

"You've awaken the monster," Chuck said as he walked in a little less enthusiastically.

Rufus closed the door behind them.

"Lily sure knows how to pick them, doesn't she?" Chuck asked. He glanced at Rufus. "No offense."

"None taken," Rufus said with a non-caring shrug.

"All right, everybody take a seat and listen close because I'm going to get right to it. Make sure to listen carefully because I'm not going to repeat myself." Blair turned to face Dan. "And that means you, Humphrey!"

Dan and Chuck looked at each other.

Chuck shrugged. "I told you. You woke the monster."

They all sat down except for Blair, who apparently preferred to stand. "All right, listen up, Everybody! We have a scumbag to catch in the act, and this is how we're going to do it." Blair turned to face Serena. "Serena, your job is to call your mother tomorrow. Tell you that you slept on it, and that you now see how wrong you were. Tell her that she had been right, and that you had been wrong. You never should have trusted Rufus' poor eyesight over your own father. Tell her you know that William is a changed man, and you just had a temporary moment of insanity thinking he could ever cheat on her."

"And the point in that is?" Serena asked, an eyebrow raised.

Blair rolled her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "So she'll go to lunch with you, and either on the way to lunch, or the way back from lunch, whichever ends up working better, you can lead her to a spot where she will see for herself that her husband in cheating on her." She turned to Chuck. "This is where you come in. You're going to follow William. You'll wait at the hospital, and when he leaves for his lunch break, you will see where he is going. If all goes according to plan, he'll be with his redheaded tramp. Then, you will text Serena, telling her where to bring Lily."

"What do _I_ do?" Dan asked.

Blair turned to face him. "You can help Chuck. You were once Gossip Girl. I'm sure you can manage to track down William. You can actually use your powers for good for once."

"Hey, when I was Gossip Girl, there were plenty of times I helped you guys out!" Dan defended himself.

Blair held a hand up to silence him, having already turned away from him. "Not caring."

Dan shot her a look.

"I saw that," Blair said.

"How?" Dan shook his head in confusion, for Blair had her back turned on him.

"Sadly, I know you too well," Blair said, as if reading his mind. "Moving on... Rufus, you can work at the gallery like any other day. Lisa, you stay here in case we need you for anything." She looked at Rufus and Lisa as she said their names.

Rufus and Lisa both nodded their agreement.

"What will _you_ do?" Serena asked.

Blair turned her attention back to Serena. "I'll be on foot, ready to swoop in and stall William if needed."

"So, that's it? That's the full plan?" Dan asked.

Blair whipped around to face him. "Do you have a better idea, Humphrey?"

Dan looked away.

Blair smiled smugly. "I didn't think so." She turned to Chuck. "Come on, let's go. I promised Henry I'd be home to tuck him in."

They all stood up then.

"So, when do we put this little plan into action?" Rufus asked.

Blair looked at him. "I figured tomorrow, Serena can go over around eleven and talk to Lily, then they can leave straight for lunch." She looked at Dan. "Chuck will pick you up at your place at eleven-thirty. Be ready when he gets there." Shen the scanned the room so that she could meet everyone's eyes at one point. "And all of you make sure your cell phone batteries are charged and ready to go in case anyone needs to get ahold of you. I will see you all tomorrow. Let's catch that cheating scumbag!"

Everyone voiced their agreement, then Blair and Chuck left.

"I feel kind of guilty doing this to my father, but it has to be done. He has to learn he can't get away with doing things like this anymore," Serena said.

Rufus placed a hand over her back and nodded. "Especially to your mother. I mean, how many times is he going to hurt her? I'm sick of it! He doesn't deserve her. He never did!"

"Well, at least by Lily being with him, they made Serena and Eric," Dan quipped.

Rufus made a face. "Don't remind me!" He blushed when Serena, Dan, and Lisa all looked at him with shocked looks on their faces. "That's not what I meant. I meant the process in which they were ma—" He cut himself off, and slid the loft door open. "Have a good night. Keep me posted tomorrow." He was still blushing. He hoped they'd take his hint and let it go.

Thankfully, they did.

"We will," Serena said with a sigh as she left the apartment. "I'm _so_ not looking forward to this. I can't wait for it to all be over."

"You and me both," Rufus said.

"See you tomorrow," Dan said as he left, right behind Serena.

"See you tomorrow. Have a goodnight," Rufus said.

"Have a goodnight," Serena and Dan both called back.

"Bye," Rufus said. He waited for them to say goodbye back, then slid the door closed, and locked it. He then walked over to Lisa, and took her into his arms from behind. "So, do you think we'll be able to pull this off?" He kissed her right cheek.

She smiled, and held onto his hands that were resting over her stomach. "Hopefully! It sounds like a pretty good plan to me."

"Does it? You don't really know Blair as well as I do, but her plans are usually more elaborate. But, I suppose this is as good of a plan as any. Let's just hope it works!" He kissed her cheek again. "Are you coming to bed?"

Lisa nodded. "In a minute. I just want to get a drink first."

Rufus smiled, and kissed her once more. "All right. Don't take long." He winked at her and smiled. "I'll be waiting."

She smiled in return. "I won't. She winked back.

Rufus grinned, then headed off to wait for Lisa in bed. He sure hoped this plan of Blair's worked. After all, he was running out of ideas to get Lily to believe him.

~Begin Again~

William lie on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, and thinking about how Rufus had seen him with Cassidy. It still made him angry that of course of all people, Rufus had to see him. Though, he supposed he should be grateful it wasn't Lily or Serena. It made him so angry that Rufus would run straight to Lily. It really burned him up!

It didn't surprise him one bit that Rufus was a little snitch, who was ready to go straight to Lily and tell her. Well, Rufus ruined it for himself, because now he was going to have to make sure that Rufus was out of the way. He couldn't have Rufus around now that Rufus knew he was cheating. The question was, how was he going to get Rufus out of the way? His last plan hadn't worked, so that meant that this plan was going to have to be ten times better. This plan had to stick.

"Maybe I can set him up for a crime," William said out loud to no one in particular. Lily was in the shower. It wasn't like anyone was going to hear him.

The question was, what to set him up for, and how. It was tough, because a good plan could take a while. Yet, now that Rufus knew he was cheating, William needed something quick and fast.

He sighed. One thing was for sure, he and Cassidy were going to have to be more discreet, and not kiss in public anymore. At least not on a sidewalk next to a busy street where anyone they know could see them. He supposed it was his own fault that Rufus had caught him. He should have known better.

Well, from now on, the only time they'd be making out in public would be when they were far enough out of town that no one they knew could possibly run into them or see them.

He sighed. Damn that Rufus Humphrey for making things so difficult for him!

~BA~

I knew that right now would be the time to break up with Cassidy if ever there was a time. After all, we had been caught by Rufus Humphrey of all people. If I broke it off with Cassidy now, there would be no further evidence to tie me to her. However, I didn't want to break up with her. She was tough, sarcastic, witty, and funny. Not to mention great in bed. She's the best I've ever had in bed, so I really wasn't too keen on letting her go. Besides, why should I have to give her up because of Rufus Humphrey? No. It wasn't happening. Cassidy and I were just going to have to be discreet, that's all.

I sighed. Still, this was going to be an inconvenience. I wish Rufus and Lisa would just hurry up and get married. Maybe once Rufus married Lisa, he'd leave Lily and me alone. I knew it was a fat chance, but it was a hope.

I honestly don't know what Lily ever saw in that loser. Even back in the day, he was a boring, self-righteous dorky asshole. He was never anything like Lily and I. He always thought he was _so_ cool—especially when he first became part of Lincoln Hawk. So what if he can sing? He's still no John Bon Jovi. Anyway, nowadays, anyone with potential can get voice lessons and become great.

Whatever. All I know is that I'm sick of Rufus going after my wife, and one way or another, it's gonna stop. Sooner rather than later.

~BA~

William's cell phone rang, breaking him from his thoughts. He climbed out of bed, and walked over to his dresser, where his phone awaited him.

He picked up his phone, and looked to see who the caller was. He was surprised to see it was Lisa.

He pressed the accept button. "Hello?"

"William, it's Lisa. There's something you should know."

William raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what might that be?"

"Rufus, Serena, Dan, Chuck, and Blair are waiting by to set you up tomorrow. Chuck, Dan, and Blair are going to be following you. Serena's going to be taking Lily out to lunch. They're all hoping that Chuck, Dan, and Blair will catch you with Cassidy. They'll then tell Serena where you are, and she'll lead Lily right to you guys so that Lily will see for herself you're cheating."

William felt his anger start to build up inside him again. "Well, thank you for warning me about this, Lisa. Though, I must say, I'm surprised you're warning me. Aren't you on Rufus's side?"

"I think you and I both know the threat Lily is to my relationship and Rufus is to yours. The last thing either of us need is for Lily to break it off with you. I don't approve on a guy cheating on a woman, but, at this point, what Lily doesn't know won't hurt her I guess. My relationship with Rufus is more important to me than her not being cheated on."

William grinned. Thank God for gems like Lisa! He wondered why he had never hooked up with her. After all, she was cut in a dorky sort of way. "Well, I appreciate it, and you are absolutely right. Don't worry, I have no intentions of letting Lily slip away from me."

"And I have no intentions of letting Rufus slip away from _me_."

"This could be the start of a beautiful partnership for you and I, Lisa," William said with a smile.

"Maybe so!" Lisa agreed.

"You have a good night now," William said

"Thanks. You too. And good luck tomorrow."

William laughed. "I don't need luck, Darling! I can handle a bunch of punk kids in their twenties, but thank you."

William hung up his phone, then tuned it off, and set it back on the dresser.

He grinned to himself as he headed back to the bed, then plopped himself down onto it on his back. He laced his hands together behind his head, and rested his head on them. Boy did he have a plan for tomorrow! A plan that was sure to blow Rufus and his little cronies' plan out of the water. They'd learn not to mess with William van der Woodsen. Just you wait and see.


	11. Mission Possible

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 11: Mission Possible**_

Serena was nervous. She hoped this plan worked, for she had no idea what they were going to do if it didn't. As she made her way up the elevator to her parents' apartment, she wondered if she should have called first. What if her mother was out? Though, she knew Lily usually didn't get out of the house until lunchtime. She wasn't exactly a morning person.

The doors opened, and Serena was relieved to see her mother sitting on the couch, reading the morning paper. She had looked up upon hearing the elevator doors open.

"Good," Serena said out loud. "You're home."

Lily set the paper down on the coffee table, and picked up her coffee mug from the coaster on the table. "Hello, Serena. If you're here again to try to convince me your father is cheating on me, you can save your breath. You're not going to convince me."

Serena shook her head, and quickly made her way over to the couch, where she sat down next to her mother. "Actually, I came over here to apologize. I did a lot of thinking last night, and the more I thought about it, the more I am convinced that Dad would never cheat on you. You're right. Rufus' eyesight isn't the greatest to begin with. Between that and the couple being across the street, there's no way he could have seen clearly. Besides, Dad has changed. I've seen firsthand how he's changed. He loves you so much, and I know he wouldn't do that to you, or to Eric and I for that matter."

Lily smiled, and set her coffee mug bag down. "I'm so glad you've finally come to your senses!" She put her hands together as if she were about to pray.

"Also, Rufus not liking Dad probably helped him see what he wanted to. I'm sorry for the things I said yesterday. Can you please forgive me for my momentary insanity?" Serena asked, putting her own hands into a prayer mode now as if pleading. She put on her best smile.

Lily grinned. "Of course I forgive you, my Darling! Anyway, you weren't insane. You just had a momentary laps in judgment is all."

"Well, I want to make it up to you anyway. Let's do lunch today. You can pick anywhere you'd like to eat, and it will be my treat!" Serena hugged her mother.

Lily hugged her in return. "You really don't have to pay for me, Serena, but I would love to do lunch with you!"

"I insist on treating. It's the least I can do. So, where do you want to eat?" Serena stood up.

Lily stood up as well, and smoothed down her gold Nanette Lepore skirt. "How about that new cafe that just opened up on 5th Ave?"

"Green cuisine?" Serena asked. The cafe served foods only made of natural ingredients.

Lily nodded. "That's the one!"

"Sounds good! Let's go. I don't know about you, but I'm starved," Serena said. She wanted to leave now so that they could remain on schedule and be done eating by the time her father went on his lunch break. Luckily, he had had the same lunch hour for the past five years, so she knew exactly what time he'd be leaving the hospital, which was around noon.

Lily nodded. "Me too. In fact, I'm positively famished! I'm so glad you decided to come over and ask me out to lunch!" Lily smiled, and placed a hand over her daughter's back.

Serena smiled at her as she pressed the down button on the elevator. "Me too." She felt guilty about what she and her friends were about to do, but it was for her mother's own good. She just hoped her mother wouldn't be too badly hurt once she found out what kind of a man her husband really was.

~Begin Again~

Chuck honked the horn of his rental Ford Taurus. Dan was just standing on the sidewalk, looking dazed.

Dan looked over at the car, and shielded his eyes.

Chuck beeped the horn again, but Dan was looking at the car as if it were a space ship, and Chuck was an alien.

Chuck sighed, and rolled his eyes as he rolled the passenger window down. "Get in the car, Humphrey."

The recognition hit Dan's face. He quickly sprinted to the car, opened the door, and slid into the passenger side. He shut the door, and looked over at Chuck. "Sorry. I was expecting your limo."

Chuck scrunched his eyebrows at him. "Because following someone in a limo isn't conspicuous at all."

Dan rolled his eyes, and looked out the passenger side window. "Whatever."

Chuck pulled out of the apartment complex. "What took you so long anyway? It's a quarter to twelve. You were supposed to be out here and ready by eleven thirty."

"I had to go to the bathroom," Dan said simply.

"And you chose the time you were supposed to be out here to go? Chuck asked dryly.

Dan looked over at him. "I didn't have to go then. I had to go number two. It came upon me suddenly."

Chuck glanced at him before putting his eyes back on the road. "First of all, you're disgusting. Second of all, what are you, five? Did you seriously say you had to go number two?"

Dan shot him a look. "Fine. I had to take a shit. Is that better?"

"Despite the TMI, yes, it is," Chuck said in his monotone way as he turned around the curb.

Dan shrugged. "You asked."

They drove in silence the rest of the way to the hospital.

"I hope this plan works. William is such a sleaze. I honestly don't know what Lily ever saw in him. I know he's my father-in-law and everything, but he's an ass," Dan said, his arms crossed over his chest. "We don't have a pass," he then added when Chuck pulled into the employees only parking lot.

"Like I care." Chuck pulled a few cars down in from the car he knew was William's, in the aisle that was directly behind William's car.

"What if we get in trouble?" Dan asked.

Chuck rolled his eyes. "Stop being such a wuss. We're only going to be here for a few minutes. Besides, we have to see William to be able to follow him. We can't let him get away with this. No one hurts my mother and gets away with it."

Dan looked over at him. "You really think of Lily as your real mother, don't you?"

Chuck looked at him. "As far as I'm concerned, she _is_ my real mother. She's the only mother I've ever known, and the only mother that matters."

Dan looked impressed. "You know, aside from Blair and Henry, I've never seen you care about someone so much."

Chuck stared at Dan blankly. "They are the only three people I'd ever take a bullet for." He then looked away.

Dan looked out the window. "It's good to know that even someone as nonchalant as you is determined to get William out of Lily's life."

"There he is!" Chuck said suddenly.

Dan looked to see William walking into the parking garage. "Duck!"

Chuck and Dan both immediately slid down in their seats so that William wouldn't spot them. They peered over the dashboard from their slouched position.

William looked around, but didn't seem to see them, for he pushed the button on his remote to unlock his car doors, then slid into his car, slamming the door shut once he was in.

A moment later, William's engine started, and his taillights were on as he pulled out of the spot, and started driving out of the lot.

Chuck waited until William was down to the end of the lot, then he turned on the Taurus' engine, and began to follow him.

"You don't think he saw us, do you?" Dan asked as they kept a safe distance behind William's car.

"Trust me," Chuck said without taking his eyes off the road, "if he saw us, we'd know about it."

Dan nodded. "I guess you're right."

"I'm _always_ right, Humphrey," Chuck stated as he exited the parking garage and followed on William's tail.

Dan smirked. "Yeah, right," he muttered under his breath.

Chuck chose to ignore him.

~Begin Again~

William wondered if Chuck and Dan thought he was stupid and or blind. They must have, for they apparently didn't think he noticed them crouching down in the front seat of the dinky silver Ford Taurus. It was okay though, for they were playing right into his hands.

He made a turn at the green light, and headed toward Serafina, where his friend and coworker Meg had agreed to meet him. She was a nurse at the hospital, and she and he would sometimes eat together in the cafeteria. Of course that was only when Cassidy had other plans for the day, or if she had to work.

Anyway, Meg wanted to be an actress, and was working as a nurse to support herself until she hit it big. She hadn't had to work today, but he had called her up and offered her five hundred dollars if she would meet him at Serafina at twelve-thirty for lunch, along with a little acting gig, no questions asked. He even offered to pay for her lunch.

Her job was to have lunch with him, then, once lunch was over, leave with him, and play along once Lily arrived.

Of course Meg had agreed. After all, why wouldn't she agree to get paid five hundred dollars simply to just have lunch at a nice restaurant for free, and do a little acting, which she loved to do?

He had already told her what he wanted her to say and do. If she played her part well, he knew he would come out smelling like a rose, and Rufus and his team of cronies would end up looking like asses.

William chuckled to himself as he pictured the expressions on their faces once they realized they'd been duped. Better yet, maybe they'd all turn on Rufus. Well, Lisa wouldn't of course, but he didn't want her to.

It was funny because he had been thinking about what Lily said—how Lisa had confronted her, and threatened her to keep things platonic between her and Rufus. He was going to try to talk Lisa into working with him to keep Rufus and Lily apart. He had thought he'd have to work on her a bit to get her to agree. After all, Lisa appeared to be a sweet little innocent woman, who would never do anything wrong. Boy had he been surprised when Lisa had called him up and told him about the little scheme Rufus and the gang had going on. It was then that he realized he wasn't going to have to work at all to get Lisa on his side.

He guessed the old saying was true—never judge a book by its cover.

~BA~

Meg was waiting for me when I got to the restaurant. I was glad. I only had an hour, and I couldn't afford to lose any time.

"Hi!" she said with a cheery smile as I made my way up the walkway to her, after having parked. She twirled one of her curly red strands of hair around her index finger.

"Hi!" I glanced around, then smirked when my eyes fell upon the silver Taurus. It was showtime.

I placed my right hand over Meg's back, and kissed her cheek. "Thank you so much for joining me."

"Thank _you_! It's nice to be treated to lunch at a nice restaurant." She winked at me and smiled. "And it's also nice to be able to enjoy a nice meal with my friend for once instead of that garbage the cafeteria calls food!" She placed her arm around my waist.

I grinned. I had texted her earlier, telling her to make it seem like I could be her boyfriend, but not to make it seem like I definitely was. Apparently, she knew exactly how to do that. It turns out, she really was a good actress!

I smiled at her, and placed my arm around her as well. "You got that right! At least the meat here is edible."

She laughed. "I know, right?"

I grinned. "Well, we better go in so that we can get to eating. I can't be late back to work."

"Definitely wouldn't want that! Thomas would blow a gasket," Meg said, referring to our boss.

"That would be his fifth gasket blown this week!" I joked, for our boss had a bit of a reputation for his temper. He was always nice to me, but I'd seen him be a real asshole to people. Not that some of those people didn't deserve it, because they did.

~BA~

Megan laughed.

They then grinned at each other as they slowly headed into the restaurant.

"A table for two please," William told the hostess with a smile.

"Right this way," the hostess said pleasantly as she grabbed two menus, and led them to a table.

William smirked as he held the chair out for Meg, and she smiled big and thanked him. So far, everything was going according to plan. And if all went well, it would stay that way.

~Begin Again~

"Did you see the slut?" Blair asked Chuck over the phone.

"We saw," Chuck said. "Should I call Serena?"

"I'll call her," Blair responded. "They probably won't be out of there for an hour. I'll tell her to be here in an hour. I have my iphone camera ready for photographic proof just in case she and Lily don't make it here in time."

"Just make sure you're not seen when you take the picture, and don't let them hear you taking it. Who knows what William will do if he catches you?" Chuck said, a little worried.

"I'm not an idiot, Chuck. I know to keep out of sight, and to have all sounds turned off on my phone." Blair sounded annoyed.

"I know you're not stupid, Blair, I just worry about you," Chuck said calmly.

"I know, and I love you for it. I'll stay inconspicuous. No need to worry about me," Blair promised.

"We'll be waiting for you when it's all over," Chuck said.

"I love you," Blair responded.

"I love you too," Chuck said. He hung up the phone, then looked over at Dan. "You were Gossip Girl. It should be _you_, not Blair standing out there in front of the restaurant doing nothing but waiting for William. Let _you_ be the one to take the pics while I enjoy time with my wife in the car."

Dan rolled his eyes. "Blair made the orders—not me. I don't exactly like spending my time with you in this dinosaur of a car either."

"Would you prefer to spend time with me the a limo?" Chuck joked, as if he thought Dan was referring to the car choice instead of the choice of company.

Dan nodded. "At least in the limo we'd have a minibar."

Chuck nodded. "Good point. Hanging out with you would be much more tolerable with a little alcohol in my system."

"And hanging out with _you_ would be much more tolerable with a _lot_ of alcohol in my system," Dan quipped in return.

Chuck let out a sarcastic laugh. "You're _hilarious_," he said, his voice still dripping with sarcasm.

Dan looked at him. "Seriously though, we may never be the best of friends, but I'd like to believe we've come a little ways in the friendship department, wouldn't you say?"

Chuck looked at him as well. "I suppose so. After all, our wives are best friends. I guess you're not a _total_ dweeb."

"And I guess you're not a hundred percent intolerable," Dan said in return.

"I guess that's as close as either of us are going to get to complimenting each other, aye?" Chuck asked with a slight smile spread across his lips.

Dan smiled as well. "With us, that's all we need."

Chuck nodded his agreement.

They looked at each other in silence, then hugged across the seats for the briefest moment. Then, they quickly broke the hug.

"Okay, that was just awkward," Dan said.

"Borderline nauseating," Chuck piped in.

Both men went back to looking out their windows.

~Begin Again~

Serena had stalled for as long as she could. She had gotten Blair's text when they were halfway through lunch. She had managed to convince her mother to get dessert, and an extra cup of coffee, but they still ended up leaving the restaurant with a half hour to spare. The only thing left to do was shop. Thankfully, there were lots of places to shop right near Serafina.

"Well, lunch was lovely, but now I really should get home. There are some things I need to do back at the apartment," Lily said as they left the restaurant.

"Ah, come on! We haven't shopped together in so long. Come shop with me. Please? Just for an hour?" Serena pleaded, latching onto her arm.

Lily smiled at her. "All right. But only for you!" She grinned.

Serena hugged her. "Thanks, Mom."

"So, where should we go first?" Lily asked as they hopped into a cab.

"Well, I was thinking JCrew. I want to get a new shirt to wear under the sweater I bought the other day," Serena said. That part was true, so at least today didn't have to be a _total_ lie.

"Sounds good!" Lily agreed with a nod.

It was just a short ride to Madison Avenue, so they still had plenty of time to shop.

Serena paid and tipped the driver, then she and Lily headed into JCrew.

Time went surprisingly fast, for Blair texted her just as Serena finished paying for the shirt.

"Serena took her mother's hand, and practically dragged her out of the store.

"Serena, what's the big hurry? I saw a skirt I was thinking about getting," Lily said, for she had still been looking around when Serena paid for the shirt.

"We'll go back. I just suddenly needed some air. They had their heat cranked up way too high in there. I was starting to feel overheated," Serena said, still practically dragging her mother as she headed down past a few buildings until she finally got to the restaurant.

Finally, they got to the restaurant, and Serena stopped a little ways back so that William wouldn't see them when he came out.

"Serena, what's the rush? Couldn't we have just stood outside of JCrew instead of charging down the sidewalk like maniacs?" Lily asked, a hand over her heart. She was out of breath.

"Sorry. I just felt like I needed the walk," Serena said, her eyes still on the doorway to Serafina.

"Serena, Darling, are you all right?" Lily asked.

Serena nodded. "I'm fine, Mom. I just..." She trailed off as William came out of the restaurant, laughing, and looking cozy with a redhead. "Oh my gosh," Serena said in surprise. "Rufus was right!" She knew he was right, but actually seeing it made it all the more real.

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked.

Serena nodded toward the door.

Lily looked. "William?" she asked quietly.

"Let's go," Serena said, her eyes on her father, who was laughing and smiling with the redhead who was laughing and smiling as well as she tucked a red curl behind her left ear.

Lily followed behind Serena.

"You're so cute!" the redhead said, grinning at William, and looking in his eyes as she wiped something off his cheek with her thumb.

"Hello, Dad! Who's this?" Serena asked boldly, now right in front of him.

William looked up at her in apparent shock. "Serena! What are you doing here?"

"I was shopping with Mom, and we saw you here, looking cozy with this lady." Serena nodded toward her. "Who is she?"

"Yes, William. Please, introduce us," Lily said, sounding annoyed and looking ill.

William turned to Lily. "Hello, my Love!" He kissed her cheek. "This is my coworker, Meg. I told you about her before. You know, the one who I sometimes have lunch with in the hospital cafeteria?"

Lily looked over at Meg, and hesitantly extended her hand to her. "Hello, Meg. I'm William's _wife_." She put emphasis on the word 'wife' obviously to make it clear to Meg that William was a taken man.

Meg nodded. "Lily, of course! William talks about you nonstop every single day. He loves you so much! But I must say, the picture of you he flashes around work does _not_ do you justice You're even more beautiful in person!"

Lily blushed, her expression softening immensely. "Why, thank you! You're a beautiful woman yourself!"

"Aw, thanks!" Meg said. "I hope you don't mind I borrowed your husband for the day. My boyfriend is at work, and I had a craving for the food here. A girl can only take so much of the cafeteria food, you know? William was nice enough to join me here so that I wouldn't have to eat alone. He's a good friend to me."

Lily smiled at William, and then at Meg. "He's wonderful, isn't he?"

Meg nodded. "He sure is!" She turned to Serena. You must be his daughter, Serena. He gushes about you like he does your mother! You're also even more beautiful in person."

Serena shook her hand. "Yes, I'm Serena. It's nice to meet you, Meg. And thank you! I agree with my mom. You _are_ beautiful."

Meg blushed. "Aw, thanks! You're so sweet."

"It's funny. You know how Rufus thought he saw me kissing a redhead near the park the other day?" William asked Lily.

Lily nodded. "How could I forget?"

"Well, I got to thinking. Meg lives near the park, and she is always telling me how her boyfriend looks _so_ much like me. I thought that maybe it was her and her boyfriend he had seen," William said. "So, I asked her if she was around the park at that time, and she was."

"In fact, what this Rufus person must have seen was the aftermath of my boyfriend having just proposed to me!" Meg held out her left hand, displaying the huge diamond she wore on her ring finger. She blushed. "We usually aren't the PDA type, but I was just _so_ happy he proposed to me, and he was _so_ happy I said yes. We kind of made out in front of everyone around us. We couldn't help it. We were too excited to care. I bet it was us he saw. After all, we were standing right where William said Rufus was when Rufus thought he saw William."

"I still have to see your fiancé. I want to see how much he looks like me!" William said, grinning at Meg.

"Fiancé. I absolutely love that word!" Meg clapped her hands together excitedly, and grinned. "I'll have him come into work sometime, then you can see him. I swear, he's a dead ringer for you!"

"Well, that explains it then. Rufus saw your fiancé and thought it was my husband." Lily giggled. Deny it as he will, Rufus is still a bit nearsighted even with his glasses!"

William grinned. "Well, I hate to say goodbye to you, but I must be getting back to the hospital." He kissed Lily sweetly on the lips. "I'll see you when I get home."

"All right." Lily kissed him in return, her hand resting on his cheek. "I'll be waiting." She smiled, and they kissed once more.

"Can you give me a ride?" Meg asked William.

William nodded. "But of course!"

They smiled at each other.

Meg turned to Lily, and held out her hand. "It was very nice meeting you, Lily. I can see why William loves you so much! You seem really nice."

Lily shook her hand. "Thank you, Meg! You do too. Maybe sometime the four of us can get together and double date."

Meg nodded and smiled. "I'd like that!"

Meg and Serena then shook hands and exchanged goodbyes as well.

"Goodbye, My Darlings!" William said with a wave to Lily and Serena before getting into his car.

Serena waved goodbye. "Bye, Dad. Have a good rest of the day at work."

"Thanks, Baby Girl," William said.

Lily waved back, and blew him a kiss. "Goodbye, my Darling. I'll see you tonight!"

"See you tonight," he agreed with a nod as he pretended to catch the kiss. He then slipped into the car.

"Bye!" Meg said, with a wave of her own before she got in the car.

"Bye!" Lily said, waving as William drove away.

Serena waved too.

"Well, that explains _that_!" Lily said with a cocky smile. I _knew_ your father would never cheat on me!"

Serena nodded too. "And that was just proof of how much he really loves you."

Lily smiled and blushed. "I'm a very lucky woman!"

Serena sighed. So, maybe Rufus had been wrong after all. Boy did she feel like an ass now. She turned to her mother. "Come on. Let's go back to JCrew so you can get that skirt you wanted."

Lily grinned brightly. "Okay!"

They then turned and headed back toward JCrew.

As they left, Serena looked over at shoulder. She saw Blair, who could only shrug. Blair looked as confused as Serena was.

Serena sighed again. Next time, she wasn't going to be so quick to believe Rufus! She wondered what Rufus would say when he heard this story. She was willing to bet anything he'd feel like just as much of an ass as she did.

~Begin Again~

"And here is your money!" William said with a big smile as he handed Meg her money at a red light.

"Thank you!" Meg grinned at him, and stuffed the money into her wallet. "So, was I good?"

"My Darling, you were marvelous!" William said.

Meg grinned. "The funny thing is, my fiancé really looks nothing like you."

"I guess it's a good thing she didn't ask for a picture, huh?" William asked with a smile and a wink at her.

Meg laughed. "I guess _so_!"

They arrived at the hospital. William dropped Meg off at the curb. "I'm sorry I don't have time to take you directly to your place. Are you going to be okay walking home?"

"Sure! It's only a five minute walk from here." Meg nodded toward him. "Are you working tomorrow?"

William nodded. "Yep!"

"Lunch in the cafeteria at noon?" Meg asked.

"Sounds like a plan," William said, patting her shoulder. "See you then."

"See you then! Thanks for lunch and everything," Meg said as she got out of the car.

"Don't mention it," William said. He headed to the parking lot.

Lunch had worked out perfectly! Now, Lily would have no doubt that he wasn't a cheater. Heck, maybe he'd even get _Rufus_ to believe that he had seen wrong. And heck, even if he didn't, Rufus was still going to end up looking like a nearsighted ass, and to William, that was good enough.

~Begin Again~

Rufus looked up as the jingle jangle of the bells above the door sounded.

In walked Dan, Chuck, Serena, and Blair.

"How did it go? Did she catch him?" Rufus asked.

"Oh, we caught him all right, but it wasn't what you thought," Dan said.

"I'm confused," Rufus said.

"And apparently blind," Chuck quipped.

Rufus glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"You saw the wrong man that day you thought you saw my father kissing a redhead. The person you saw was my father's friend Meg's fiancé," Serena said.

"And the redhead you saw was Meg," Blair chimed in.

Rufus scrunched his eyebrows together. "Okay, is somebody going to explain this all to me? Because right now, all any of you are doing is confusing me."

Serena sighed, then told Rufus the whole story. When she finished, Rufus was shocked.

He shook his head. "No. He must be lying! I didn't see someone who _looked_ like William, I saw William! And I can see perfectly fine with my glasses, thank you! Do you want to call my optometrist? I'll get you the number. He'll confirm that for me."

Serena sighed. "I don't know what to believe now. I mean, you do hate my father, so I can see why you'd want it to be him. Maybe you convinced yourself it was him?"

Rufus crossed his arms over his chest. "As much as I hate your father, I would never hurt Lily this way if I wasn't sure about it."

Serena looked torn.

Blair meanwhile was looking at her iphone pictures. She found the one she was looking for. "This picture I took when they weren't paying attention. It actually came out good! I wonder if I should anonymously send William a copy of it just to mess with his mind," she said with a smirk.

"Let me see that!" Rufus said, ripping the phone from her hand.

"Rude much?" Blair asked.

Rufus looked at the photo, then shook his head. "That's not her."

"Huh?" Serena asked.

Again, Rufus shook his head. He pointed to the girl in the picture. "That's not the girl I saw William making out with Monday. The girl I saw had neck-length, bright red, vibrant hair. This girl has shoulder-length hair, and her hair is more auburn looking. She's much shorter too. The girl I saw with William was actually a slight bit taller than him. This girl goes to his shoulders. He played us! He must have known he was being followed."

"Unbelievable! I should have known. I'm sorry. Rufus. I fell for it again. What an idiot I am." Serena shook her head.

Rufus placed a hand overtop of her shoulder. "It's all right. He's your father. You can't help but want to believe the best in him. It's normal."

"What I want to know if how he found out," Chuck said.

Dan shrugged. "Maybe he saw us in the car after all."

"But why wouldn't he confront us right then?" Chuck asked. "Besides, he met Meg at the restaurant. He had this planned before our plan even began. He had to have found out somehow."

"But how would he find out?" Serena asked. "None of us told him."

"He's smart," Rufus stated. "He probably predicted our move. Now that he knows I saw him cheating, he decided to come up with a plan to throw my credibility to hell."

"That's brilliant! Absolutely genius," Blair said.

They all looked at her.

She shrugged. "Well, it is. I'm not saying it was a good and moral idea." She rolled her eyes.

"I guess that makes sense," Dan said. "I mean, of course he's not going to be seen making out with his girlfriend in public view now that he knows he's been seen—especially by you."

Rufus sighed. "I suppose we all really should have known better. Now what are we going to do? So much for plan C."

Serena sighed. "It's simple. We move onto Plan D."

"And what is that?" Blair asked, looking at her.

Serena met her gaze. "Well, I think it's time we call in the big dogs, or dog since we're talking one person."

Blair's eyes widened. "No. You can't mean..." She trailed off.

Serena nodded. "I'm afraid so. We have no choice since your plan didn't pan out."

"I can think of something else!" Blair said, stamping her foot like her son did when he was upset.

Serena shook her head. "I'm sorry, but we need something fast and effective, and you know she's the one to do it." She took out her iphone, and quickly dialed up a number. Then, after a moment of waiting for someone to pick up, she smiled. "Georgina, hi. This is Serena. Unfortunately, we're going to need your help."

Blair walked over to the desk, and gently slammed her head on it.

~Begin Again~

Georgina smiled to herself as she saw William appearing at a condominium ten minutes away from the hospital. It was a nice enough neighborhood. It was very quaint for New York City. She had followed William there from the hospital the very next day. After all, she knew that William wouldn't suspect retaliation so quickly after he had ruined the first plan. He especially wouldn't suspect anything if he thought the others now believed that Rufus had seen wrong.

Anyway, she parked her black BMW when he parked his car, then she got out of her car, and followed a few yards away from him as he entered the building, and headed to one of the individual condos.

When William got to the one he was obviously there for, Georgina hid around the corner, and peered around it.

Soon, the door opened, revealing a beautiful redhead with bright, vibrant, curly red hair that went to the middle of her neck, just as Rufus had described.

"Hello, Baaay-bay!" William said, imitating The Big Bopper in "Chantilly Lace."

The girl grinned, and pulled William into a passionate kiss before responding. "Hey, sexy!" She said with a wink.

William picked her up slightly as he kissed her some more.

William then set the girl down, and they continued kissing like starved animals. The girl was even trying to take his jacket off right there in the hallway!

"Ew." Georgina whispered to herself.

William grinned, then backed the girl into the condo. The door slammed behind them.

"Well, _that_ was unpleasant!" Georgina said to herself. She sighed, then headed to the door that William and the redhead had just disappeared into.

She wrote down the condo's address, along with the girl's condo number. Then, she left the condo, and headed back to her car. Next, she got on her laptop, and went to the background check site that she was a paid member of. After all, one never knew when they needed a background check on someone.

She typed in the address to the background check site, and moments later, she had a name and a full report.

"Cassidy Reynolds. Thirty-two years old. Ew. He's old enough to be her father, the disgusting Pervert," Georgina said to herself, making a face of distaste.

"She works as a hairdresser at the Hairs Looking At You, Kid Salon. Perfect," Georgina said. She looked up the number, then whipped out her cell phone, and dialed up the number to the Salon.

"Hello," she said once someone answered. "I want to make an appointment to get a hair cut and blonde highlights. I was wondering, is Cassidy Reynolds working today? She is? Perfect. Does she have any open slots? Oh good. I'll take the seven o'clock slot please. Thank you so much. My name is Tanya. Tanya Adams. All right, thank you. I will be there." Georgina hung up the phone, a smirk on her face. Cassidy was working the evening shift tonight. What perfect luck!

Georgina fluffed her hair. She could get her haircut and highlights while working to bring William down. It didn't get any better than that!

~BA~

I was already doing better than Blair when it came to my scheme to take William down. Whether Blair wanted to admit it or not, which everyone knew she'd never admit it, she was losing her touch. She had been out of practice for far too long. Lucky for her and her friends, I never took a break from scheming. After all, I wouldn't be me if I didn't scheme. It's what I'm good at, so why turn away from it?

I had a fun day of shopping and going to h movies. Of course I worked lunch and dinner into the mix somewhere. After all, I could not be expected to scheme on an empty stomach.

Anyway, it was now time for my hair appointment, so I pulled into Hair's Looking At You, Kid, parked my car, then got out, and headed into the salon. I checked in, then waited to be called.

I got what seemed like the thousandth text today—this one from Serena—asking me how it was going so far. As I'd been doing all day long, I ignored it. As I had told them earlier, I preferred to work alone. I didn't need help, nor did I need anyone checking up on me. I'd tell them what they needed to know when they needed to know it. Right now, there was nothing they needed to know about.

"Tanya?" the pretty, blonde receptionist called. She smiled at me. "Cassidy is ready for you now."

I stood up and smiled, stuffing my phone back into my purse. "Thank you."

I headed over to where the receptionist led me, and I sat down in the chair.

Then, the receptionist left, and the same redhead from earlier came over.

Cassidy smiled brightly at me. "Hello! I hear you want some highlights and a hair cut today!"

I nodded. _Wow_, this girl was perky. "I just want my ends trimmed, then some light blond highlights put into my hair, please."

"Not a problem!" Cassidy said as she fluffed my hair with her fingers. "Have I had you before?"

"No, but I heard someone in passing mention how their hair stylist Cassidy from Hairs Looking At You, Kid was _so_ good. I decided I wanted to try you. It was just a stranger that I overheard, so technically, I'm trusting a stranger's opinion," I said with a smirk. I had to get Cassidy talking if I wanted to find out anything.

"Well, I can assure you, you won't be disappointed! In fact, by the time I'm done with you, you'll be wanting to take strangers' advice more often!"

I laughed. "I don't know about _that_, but I trust you."

Cassidy grinned, then went to work at getting the bleach ready to put on my hair. "So, what do you do for a living?" she asked.

"I'm actually a stay at home Mom," I told her.

"Oh, how sweet! What do you have?" she asked.

"A boy." I then went on to tell her all about my son and his father. I also told her how I had split with his father, and was now dating Jack Bass. He and I had been dating for five years, but neither of us was the marrying kind. I figured that, with all the information about myself that I had just told Cassidy, the least she could do was give me the information I needed about her. However, I'd have to be subtle about it.

"So," I said as she started covering the first section of my hair with bleach, "what about you? Are you married?"

"Me? Na. It's not that I haven't tried finding someone though. I'm a wild child, but I'd still like to find someone to spend my life with. Of course, I'm not going to settle down even if I have a husband. I'm gonna party like there's no tomorrow—husband or no husband!" She winked at me in the mirror, and clicked her tongue.

I grinned. "My kind of lady! So, do you have any potential prospects at least?"

She grinned. "Well, there is this one guy." She wrapped the section she was working on in foil, then move onto the next. "His name is William. He's a lot older than me, but he is so sexy and charming." She looked at me in the mirror again. "Not to mention he's great in bed."

I laughed. "That's always a plus!" Inside, I wanted to vomit. The thought of William in bed with some woman was almost too much to bear. Especially when said woman was young enough to be his daughter. Disgusting!

"So, will you be going out with him tonight?" I asked with a suggestive smile and an eyebrow raise.

"Na, we both have to work late. Tomorrow night though, he's taking me to Jullian's, that new Mexican restaurant that just opened up not that long ago. After that, we'll go back to my place for a little extra dessert, if you know what I mean." She winked at me in the mirror. "My roommate's out of town, so we'll have the place to ourselves."

I smiled, and winked at her in the mirror. "Sounds like tomorrow's gonna be an amazing night!"

"Oh I can assure you it will be," Cassidy said with a grin.

"So, what time does he pick you up tomorrow?" I asked, hoping I wasn't being too pushy. Thankfully, Cassidy didn't seem to be the private type.

"We're meeting at the restaurant at six, but he'll just drive to my place after we eat," Cassidy said simply. She already had half my head wrapped in foils. I had been so wrapped up in our conversation, I hadn't even noticed how quickly she was working!

"Well, have fun tomorrow," I said with a smirk. I had gotten all the information I needed to know for the time being.

"Oh, don't worry," she said. "When William and I get together, we always do."

I fake grinned. I'm sure they did too. Gross!

~BA~

Georgina walked out of the salon, fluffing her blond highlights. Cassidy turned out to be a pretty good hairdresser! Georgina figured she might just start going to Cassidy on a regular basis.

She pulled out her phone, then texted back Serena, who was the last person to text her. She left her a simple message.

_The redhead's name is Cassidy Reynolds. She'd definitely William's little sex kitten. You'll find them at Julian's tomorrow night at six. They plan on getting feisty afterwards._

Georgina then typed in Cassidy's address, then finished off the text.

_Do with this information as you want. You're welcome._

Georgina sent the text, then put her phone back into her purse. Then, she hopped back in her car, and sped off. Her work here was done.

~Begin Again~

"I'm so glad you called me. You know how much I love our mother son time!" Lily said, hugging Chuck tightly.

Chuck hugged her tightly in return. "Well, Henry's with Eleanor and Cyrus, and Blair is at a meeting with a potential client, so I figured it would be the perfect time to get together with my mother." He kissed Lily's cheek. Serena had appointed him to be the one to take Lily to Julian's. She hadn't wanted to be there if her father was going to be getting intimate with Cassidy afterwards.

"I love it when you call me your mother. It never gets old," Lily said.

"Well, you _are_ my mother, so what else would I call you?" Chuck asked her with a bright smile.

Lily kissed his cheek. "The only good thing that ever came out of my relationship with your father was getting you as a son."

"I appreciate that," Chuck said. He led her into the elevator.

"I hope this place is good. I haven't tried it yet. Have you?" Lily asked.

"No, but a couple of my friends have, and they claim it's to die for," Chuck responded. He hated lying to Lily about even the smallest, most insignificant things. However, he knew that it would only help her in the end, no matter how much it would hurt her at first.

They got down to the lobby and hopped into Chuck's limo. Then, ten minutes later, they were at Julien's. Chuck's driver opened the door for them, and Chuck helped Lily out of the limo.

Then, he and Lily were left standing in front of the restaurant.

Chuck checked his watch. It was six on the dot. He wondered if William and Cassidy had arrived yet.

"What are you waiting for? Aren't we going to go in?" Lily asked with a smile.

He thought fast. "I just need a minute. I was feeling a little car sick on the way here."

Lily looked at him with concern, and placed a hand overtop of his shoulder. "I didn't know you got car sick."

"I usually don't, but for some reason, I just feel really nauseous," he said.

"Well, we know you're not pregnant!" Lily joked.

Chuck grinned at her. "_Ha, ha..._" He looked toward the restaurant again, and saw William heading toward the restaurant.

Chuck quickly pulled Lily to the side of the restaurant.

"Charles, what are you doing?" Lily asked him in surprise. "Do you have to throw up?"

Chuck knelt down, then glanced around the side of the restaurant, and saw that William was waiting for Cassidy.

"I felt like I was going to. Just give me a minute, all right?" he asked.

Lily nodded, and began to rub his back. "Take your time. Maybe we should just go back if you're not feeling well. I can make you some chicken soup or some dry toast."

"I'm fine, but thank you. I'm okay. I think the air is helping me." Chuck peered around the corner again. Thankfully, Cassidy had just arrived. He stood up straight.

"Let's go," he said, taking Lily's hand, and leading her out toward the front of the restaurant. He silently cursed to himself when he saw William and Cassidy slipping into the restaurant. He had hoped William would kiss her or something first. Then again, after being caught the first time, he was probably on his best behavior now when it came to not making out with her with witnesses around.

He stopped Lily outside of the restaurant. He needed to stall to give William and Cassidy time to be seated, he knew. "Lily, do you mind if I call you Mom all the time now? I don't know if it would be weird for you since you didn't actually give birth to me."

Lily had tears in her eyes as she gently stroked his right cheek with the back of her left hand. "Oh, Charles, I would absolutely love it! I told you before, to me, I might as well have given birth to you because I love you just as much as I love Scott, Serena, and Eric."

Chuck held her tight, and kissed her cheek. "In that case, I love you, Mom."

"And I love you, my Darling," Lily said hugging him tightly back, then kissing his cheek in return.

Chuck knew he didn't have to feel guilty about this, for he meant every word.

They then headed into the restaurant, and got seated shortly after. Chuck quickly asked for a table that just happened to be on the total opposite side of the room that William and Cassidy were seated. He knew that William couldn't see them or they would be busted. Also, he didn't want Lily seeing William to early. He didn't need her confronting William before William did something incriminating.

They got seated, and then waited for their server to arrive. Chuck just hoped William and Lily didn't spot each other before they were supposed to. Keeping that from happening was going to be the main thing he had to worry about for now, Chuck knew.

~Begin Again~

Dinner and dessert had been wonderful. Lily had enjoyed her time with her son so much, but now she was tired, and knew she should probably be getting home. She wanted to take a bath before William got home from work. Though, right now, she had to go to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Chuck asked as Lily stood up.

"I have to go tot he bathroom before we leave," she said.

"I'll go with you." Chuck stood up, leaving his credit card and the bill in the leather carrying case on the table. "I have to go too."

"All right." Lily giggled. "It's usually only women who go to the bathroom together. Apparently, they both don't have to be women."

Chuck smiled. "When you got to go, you got to go!"

Lightly laughed. "Aint that the truth!"

So, they headed to the bathroom.

On their way there, out of the corner of her eye, Lily thought she saw a man sitting at one of the tables who looked like William. She turned to get a better look, but Chuck quickly stepped in front of her line of view. "After we eat, do you want to go to a movie?" he asked her.

"Oh, Honey, maybe another time. William will be home from his work meeting soon, and I want to take a bath before he gets home. But next time for sure!" She kissed his cheek. "I'll be out in a minute." She then headed into the ladies room.

She went to the bathroom and washed her hands, then made sure her makeup was still on all right. She reapplied her lipstick, then put it back in her purse, and headed out.

Chuck was right there waiting for her. "Are you ready to go?" he asked her.

Lily nodded. "Yeah! Did you get your credit card?"

Chuck nodded. "I picked it up when you were in the bathroom. What do women do in the bathroom that makes them take longer then men?" he asked.

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. Touch up our makeup is the only thing I can think of that men wouldn't do."

"And sit to pee," Chuck said.

Lily laughed. "That too." She glanced in the direction that she thought she had seen William at earlier, but the table was now empty.

"Do you mind if we stop at my friend's condo on the way home?" Chuck then asked her. "He's holding a gift for me that I left there for Blair. I got her a diamond necklace that I didn't want her accidentally finding at home."

"I don't mind." Actually, Lily was eager to get home, but she didn't want to make things inconvenient for Chuck. Besides, she supposed picking up a gift couldn't take _too_ much longer.

Even so, she would be happy to be home. She wanted to spend some romantic time with William tonight. He had been working so much lately that she was really craving some time just the two of them.

She smiled. So, after she got home and had her bath, she would slip on her sexiest lingerie, and they would have their night together. She could hardly wait!

~Begin Again~

Chuck pulled into the apartment complex that Georgina had said William and Cassidy would be at.

William had left just moments before Lily had gotten out of the bathroom. It was a close call. Chuck had been so worried that either Cassidy or William would have to use the bathroom. Thankfully, they hadn't.

"I'll just wait int the car," Lily said.

"No, I want you to come with me," Chuck told her.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"I want you to meet my friend. I want my Mom to know who all my friends are." He knew he was laying on the corniness, but he didn't know how else to get her to come up with him.

Lily smiled. "Aw! All right."

So, they headed into the condominium, and took the elevator to Cassidy's floor. Then, they made their way down the hall.

When they were just about to Cassidy's condo, Chuck saw that William and Cassidy either hadn't arrived yet, or they were already in the room.

He walked right up to Cassidy's door, and was relieved when he heard Cassidy giggling.

"Mm, Baby, you're so naughty!" she said. "I love it!" Her voice took on a seductive tone. "But you know, I'm the one in charge. I want you to be the one down on your knees, begging for it. Then, if you're a good boy, maybe _I'll_ get on _my_ knees and beg for it."

Lily blushed as she heard this too. "Um, maybe your friend forgot you were coming over? We should leave."

Chuck ignored her. He knew what he had to do. He walked over to the door, and knocked on it.

The room got quiet. He knocked harder, and would not let up.

"Charles, what are you doing?" Lily whispered.

Chuck knocked harder, and more insistent until the door finally flew open.

"What?" Cassidy snapped. She was wearing only a black lace bra and a matching black lace thong.

"I need to speak to William van der Woodsen. It's important. Is he here?" Chuck asked, hiding his British accent so as not to tip William off.

Cassidy looked behind her. "William, it's for you! It's some dude." She stepped back, revealing a startled looking William, who was clad only in a pair of black silk boxer briefs.

Chuck looked back at Lily to see if she had seen. Judging from the look of total shock and horror on her face, she had seen.

Her eyes met with Chuck's, then she cried out in a sob. She then ran down the hall toward the elevators.

"Shame on you! You really are a lowlife scum!" Chuck said to William, his fists clenched.

William was too shocked to say or do anything.

Cassidy looked at William. "Baby, who is that, and why is he calling you a lowlife scum?"

Chuck nodded at her. "He's a married man." He then took off down the hall in a sprint.

He got to the elevator doors just as they were opening. He stepped onto the elevator with Lily, then took her into his arms as the doors closed.

"Sh... I know it may not feel like it now, but you're going to be okay," he gently soothed.

"Just take me somewhere. Anywhere but home. I can't stay there," she whispered. "Please."

Chuck nodded, and kissed the top of her head. "You can stay with Blair and me."

"Thank you," she said between sobs.

Chuck held her tighter. William had hurt his mother. And now, he was going to have to hurt William.


	12. There's Something About Lily

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 12: There's Something About Lily**_

"How's she doing?" Blair asked as Chuck came down the stairs after checking on Lily.

"She's sleeping now. It doesn't surprise me, really. She was up half the night crying," Chuck slumped down into a chair at the dining room table. "I hate that William's done this to her. And I hate him for it. I swear it's my father all over again."

Blair took his hand from across the table, and squeezed it gently. "Don't worry. We'll get our revenge. We always do." She smirked at him.

Chuck couldn't help but smirk in return. He took her hands in his and kissed them. "I love you."

"I love you too!" she said.

They grinned at each other.

"So, Henry's still sleeping too?" Chuck asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

Blair nodded as she chewed the scrambled eggs she had just bitten into. Once she swallowed, she took a sip of her orange juice, then answered. "Yes, he had so much fun with his grandparents last night, it tuckered him right out!"

"Well, next time, maybe he can stay the night there," Chuck reasoned.

Blair nodded. "I know it would have made sense to let him stay there, but I always worry he's going to get homesick. Since we have to drop him back off today, if he had just stayed the night last night, we wouldn't have seen him for a whole day!"

Chuck smirked. "You do realize we'll have to leave him for long periods of time eventually, don't you? What about when you and I want to go on a trip just the two of us?"

Blair sighed. "I know. I just worry he'll miss us, and that he'll get homesick."

Chuck laughed, and held his coffee cup to his lips. "Trust me, Eleanor and Cyrus spoil him senseless. He's not homesick when he's with them." He took a sip.

"Well, I don't want him loving my mom and Cyrus more than he loves us!" Blair said.

Chuck set his coffee cup down and smiled. "Trust me, my Love, that will never happen."

"I suppose you're right." She sighed. "Well, I suppose I should be getting Henry up soon. I have to leave in an hour. The fabric people are going to be at work with some new samples. They better not screw up and give me real leather again. I told them before I only do faux leather. I do not own a company that supports the innocent killing of animals."

Chuck hid a smile. He found it funny how Blair refused to sell real leather, and yet she was a meat eater. "And I have to have a little chat with William today. He's going to learn he cheated on the wrong person!"

"Oh, Charles, I appreciate your concern, but you really don't have to do that. I can fight my own battles. I'm going to go see him today and give him a piece of my mind. Trust me, it will be enough for both of us," Lily said as she entered the room with Henry in her arms. She smiled. "Someone woke up wanting his mommy." She winked at Blair, then kissed his cheek.

"Henry smiled, and kissed her cheek in return. I love you, Grandma."

"I love you too, my beautiful Grandson!" Lily said, giving him one more kiss on the cheek before setting him down, and letting him run to Blair.

Chuck smiled. It warmed his heart seeing Lily and Henry bond.

"Waffles, Mrs. van der Woodsen?" Dorota asked, setting down a plate full of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage links, waffles, and hash browns in front of the seat Lily had just taken.

Lily smiled. "Dorota, you should know by now you can call me Lily. In fact, please don't ever call me Mrs. Van der Woodsen again." She said it in a polite tone to show Dorota she wasn't angry.

"Of course! So sorry. Would you like some orange juice, Lily?" Dorota asked.

"That would be wonderful, thank you," Lily said.

Dorota set down a glass in front of Lily, then filled it to the top.

"Thank you!" Lily said.

"You're welcome! Dorota said before moving on to take care of Henry's breakfast needs.

"Mom, I don't want you anywhere near that scumbag. Let me take care of it," Chuck said to Lily then.

Lily smiled sweetly at him. "Darling, I know you just want to protect me, and I absolutely love you for it. But this is something I need to take care of on my own. I need answers."

Chuck sighed. "Are you sure? You were so upset last night. I thought you'd never stop crying."

Lily blushed. "You heard me crying? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to keep you awake."

Chuck shook his head. "Don't you apologize. You had ever right to cry!"

"But William doesn't deserve your tears," Blair said. She then covered Henry's ears. "Gosh, William is such an asshole!" she said before releasing her son's ears.

Lily nodded, and picked at her scrambled eggs. "I couldn't agree with you more, Blair. Of course, as any woman would be, I was saddened when I found out he was cheating on me. I hated the thought of the man I love sleeping with another woman. I hated that some other woman was with _my_ husband. It made me feel sick. I felt like I wasn't good enough—that I was worthless."

"Well, you shouldn't feel that way! William's the one that's not good enough. In fact, he's not good enough to be the mud you walk over in the park!" Chuck said, slamming his fist down on the table. The thought that William had made Lily feel this way only fueled the anger for William that he had inside of him.

"But, then my sadness turned into anger. How dare he do this to me? How dare he do all this to me when he swore he was a changed man? I mean, was making me believe I had cancer, and cheating on me with my sister and therefore conceiving a child with her really not enough? Did he really have to continue cheating on me?" Lily asked. Her eyes narrowed. "How dare he!" She shoved some eggs into her mouth angrily.

"Yes! That is what you need! Keep that anger, Lily! Hold onto it, and when you see William, you give him hell!" Blair said.

"I still say you should let me punch his face in," Chuck said, taking a sip of his orange juice that Dorota had just poured for him.

Lily smiled. "As nice as that sounds, you can't. Knowing William, he'd put you in jail for assault. Besides, you don't want Henry to start thinking that violence in the answer. It's never the answer no matter what the case!"

"Would you like some coffee, Lily?" Dorota asked.

"Please," Lily said. She continued as Dorota poured her some coffee then slid the cream and sugar bowls over to her. "Anyway, Charles, if you were going to punch anything, it should be his groin."

Blair spit out her orange juice, causing Henry to laugh hysterically.

Blair started laughing too then, and even Dorota had to giggle.

A grin broke out on Chuck's face, and soon he was laughing too, causing Lily to start laughing as well.

_That's my Mom!_ Chuck thought proudly. Still, despite Lily asking him not to talk to William, he had to. He simply couldn't let William get away with this. Not this time.

~Begin Again~

"So, do you want to do lunch today?" Lisa asked. She kissed Rufus' cheek as he prepared to leave the apartment for work.

Rufus shook his head. "I would, but I'm gonna stop by to see how Lily's doing. I'll just get something quick after."

Lisa put on her best smile, and nodded. "I'm sure she'll appreciate that!"

Rufus kissed her cheek. "I'll take you out to dinner tonight. Anywhere you'd like! I promise."

"I'll be looking forward to it," Lisa said as she pat his chest. She then gave him a passionate kiss on the lips. "Have a good day at work today."

Rufus licked his lips. "I will! I'm just so glad that Lily finally sees that scumbag for who he really is. It's just a shame she had to get hurt in the process. I hate him even more now for hurting her." He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "See you tonight!" He then took off for work.

Lisa closed the door behind him, then headed over to the couch, sat down, pressed a pillow to her lips, and screamed as loud as she could.

~BA~

Of course William just _had_ to get caught, and of course Rufus just _had_ to go comfort his precious Lily. As if Lily couldn't take care of herself! Gosh, it's so annoying! I bet you, at this moment, Lily has people treating her like some fragile porcelain doll, and I bet you anything, she is milking it for all it was worth. Stupid William! I was so sure everything was going to be fine once Blair's little plan went to hell. But, no. Of course Rufus just _had_ to push and push until William was caught. It made me so angry that Rufus hadn't told me about the most recent plan. Apparently, they had planned it while at Rufus' gallery. Georgina had taken care of most of the planning, so Rufus didn't really know what was going on himself. I guess Serena had explained to Georgina over the phone what the problem was, and Georgina had simply told her it would be taken care of, and that she would text her when she had it taken care of.

I was annoyed by Georgina now too. What is it with these people? Didn't anyone mind their own business anymore?

I dropped the pillow beside me, then stood up. Well, I wasn't going to go down without a fight!

I headed to my room to grab some clean clothes. I was going to shower, then I was going to pay a certain someone a certain visit!

~BA~

Lisa finished with her shower, then quickly dried, dressed, and got ready for the day. She checked her watch, then headed out of the apartment. It was a little early, but she could always stop and get breakfast on the way, she figured. Maybe she could even do a little shopping. But as soon as it was time, she was going to give a certain someone a big piece of her mind.

~Begin Again~

Lily arrived at the hospital. It was early. William wouldn't be on his lunch break yet, she knew, but it didn't matter. She had to see him, and it couldn't wait.

She made her way up to William's floor, then went to the nurses' station. "Hey, Sandy, is William free?"

Sandy smiled brightly at her. "Hey, Lily! How's it going?"

"It's going all right. How are you?" Lily put on a smile despite the half sadness, half anger she felt in her gut.

"My son is graduating from high school in a few months, so I'm excited to see my baby graduate! It's sad how fast they grow up though," Sandy said.

Lily nodded. "I hear ya! So, it William available?" Lily tried not to cringe at the irony of her own words. Apparently, William had certainly been making himself available. At least to Cassidy, as Chuck said she was called.

"Yeah! He's actually just making his rounds. He should be done shortly. I think he's on his last room," Sandy said.

No sooner had she said that, did William come out of a hospital room, looking over a chart. He hadn't seen Lily yet.

"Thanks, Sandy. And congrats on your son's upcoming graduation!" Lily said.

"Thanks, Lily! It was good to see you!" Sandy called after her.

"You too!" Lily said, already making her way over to William, who had just looked up at her upon hearing her name.

Lily got to William. "We need to talk. Now. We can do it here in front of everybody, or you can take me to a private room to talk," she said coldly.

William nodded at her. "We can talk in the break room."

So, William set the chart back in the container on the outside of the hospital room, then led Lily out of the nurses area, around the corner to the left, and down a long corridor until they finally made it into the break room. Nobody else was in there.

Lily looked at the bed, wondering if William had sneaked Cassidy into the bed at some point. She wouldn't think he'd risk it was work, but then again, she didn't really know him like she had thought she did.

Once he had shut and locked the door and turned to her, she snapped. "How dare you? How dare you cheat on me? Especially after all the horrible things you already did to me! You promised me you'd never cheat on me again, and you swore that you were a changed man." Lily made air quotes for "changed man." She sighed. "And then what do you do? You cheat on me again. So much for being a changed man!" She shook her head. "Gosh, I was so stupid to fall for your lies again!"

"Lily, please, let me explain. I meant all those things I said to you. I just had a brief moment of weakness. I've only been with Cassidy for a couple weeks. She means absolutely nothing to me!" William rushed over to her, and tried to take her hands in his, but Lily quickly pulled her hands away from him.

"Why?" She demanded. "Why did you cheat on me?"

William sighed. "I'm going to be honest. It's not that I stopped loving you. Not at all! It's just that... I was getting bored in the bedroom. I wanted a little variety, and I was too afraid to tell you for fear of hurting your feelings."

"So cheating on me was the solution? You didn't think _that_ would hurt my feelings?" Lily asked, narrowing her eyes at him, and crossing her arms over her chest.

William blushed, and looked away. "You weren't supposed to find out."

"So, whatever I didn't know couldn't hurt me, right?" Lily asked.

William dared to look at her. "Pretty much."

"Well, even if I was bad in bed, which frankly, the problem clearly lies with you, not me, because none of my other partners ever had any complaint in that department, it sure as hell doesn't give you the option to cheat!" Lily stomped her foot, contemplating on wether or not she could go back on her word, and use violence after all. After all, she was sure she wouldn't be the first woman to kick her husband in the groin. She smiled. Or, better yet, Lorena Bobbitt had the right idea when she castrated her own husband.

William nodded. "I know, and I am the scum of the earth for ever cheating on you! It's over. I ended it with her last night. You and I, we can get marriage counseling. We can even get a sex therapist—for me of course. Please, Lily, I'll do anything to get you to forgive me!"

Lily tightened her arms across her chest. "Get down on your knees and beg me for my forgiveness."

"What?" William asked in surprise.

"What are you, deaf? I said get down on your knees, and beg me for my forgiveness!" Lily snapped. "You said whatever it takes, right?"

William nodded. "Of course!" He then slowly lowered himself down onto his knees, and clasped his hands into a prayer position. "Please, Lily, forgive me."

Lily looked down her nose at him. "Tell me that you're sorry you cheated one me. Tell me I didn't deserve it, and that you're the scum of the earth who deserves to be castrated."

"I'm _so_ sorry for cheating on you, Lily. You didn't deserve it. I am the scum of the earth, and I deserve to be castrated." William cried.

"You're darn right I didn't deserve to be cheated on, and that you deserve to be castrated! I'm out of here. Expect to see divorce papers coming your way very soon!" Lily snapped before turning on her heel to leave.

"Wait! I thought you were going to forgive me if I begged!" William called after her.

Lily looked over her should at him and smirked. "Did you honestly think I'd forgive you for cheating on me just because you got down on your knees and begged? _Hardly_. I just wanted to see you beg like the dog that you are. Actually, dogs are way cuter and better behaved than you are. Goodbye, William. You and I are over—this time for good."

"Lily, wait!" William pleaded. He tried to get up off the floor, but slipped, and fell back down. "Don't leave me over this! I promise, I'll change!"

"Where have I heard _that_ before?" Lily asked. "I want you out of the apartment by tomorrow morning." She then left, ignoring any further pleas from William for her to come back.

Lily then headed back to the nurses' station. "Sandy, what do you use to make announcements through the hospital loud speakers?"

Sandy pointed to a little intercom and microphone type device on the desk. "You take the microphone part, press this button, and speak into it," Sandy said, demonstrating without speaking into it. She attached the microphone back to the intercom.

"Can I see that for just a second?" Lily asked.

Sandy looked at her hesitantly. "Why?"

"I just want to make a little announcement about my husband." Lily said simply.

Sandy sighed. "I suppose so, but make it quick! I'm going to go check on a patient so that I can't be held responsible for whatever it is you say."

Lily smiled at her. "Thank you. I appreciate it." She waited for Sandy to leave, then she picked up the microphone, and pressed the button. "Attention, Everyone! This is Lily van der Woodsen, wife of Dr. William van der Woodsen, who is the same Dr. van der Woodsen who works here. I wanted you all to know that I will soon be Lily Rhodes, Dr. van der Woodsen's _ex-_wife, because he can't keep it in his pants. He cheated on me with a little slut named Cassidy Reynolds. She's a redhead. Not sure if you've seen him with her or not. Anyway, it's really no great loss because Dr. William van der Woodsen is absolutely _atrocious_ in bed. I honestly don't know how I managed to stay married to him all these years. Let Cassidy deal with his pencil-sized dick. Oh, wait, I mean a _mini_ pencil-sized dick."

A new nurse came rushing over to her. "Ma'am, you're not allowed to use that!"

Lily smiled at her, and handed the nurse the microphone back. "It's all right. I've said all I needed to say." She then took off out of the ward, smiling to herself the whole way.

"Pay back's a bitch!" she said with a smirk as she waited for the elevator to pick her up.

When it did, she stepped onto the elevator. She giggled to herself as the doors closed. She knew what she had just done had been a little immature, but she didn't care. William had it coming to him. It felt good too! In fact, the only thing that would have made what she had done even better was if she had been able to see the look on William's face when he heard her announcement. Oh well, though. She knew the damage had been done. He was probably humiliated by now, and honestly, that was all that really mattered to her. Well, that and divorcing his sorry ass ASAP, for she knew that divorcing him would feel even better than what she had just done. It had felt great divorcing him the first time, and she knew that it would feel even better divorcing him the second time around.

~Begin Again~

Rufus had gone to Chuck and Blair's first, but when he didn't find Lily, he figured that maybe she was back at her own place.

So, he headed over there, and was pleased when Vanya the doorman informed him that she was indeed there.

So, he headed up the elevator, and into the apartment.

Lily wasn't downstairs, so he figured she was upstairs. He made his way up the stairs and to her bedroom. He didn't know why, but he couldn't help but think of how familiar it was to head to the bedroom. In fact, it seemed like just yesterday he was carrying her into the bedroom, which was also his bedroom at the time. He remembered kissing her, then lying her down on the bed, and... He shook the thought from his mind. After all, he was an engaged man now. Such thoughts weren't appropriate anymore.

He paused in the doorway, watching as Lily stuffed some clothes into a travel-sized Louis Vuitton suitcase that was setting open on the hope chest Lily had by the window.

He gently knocked on the open door, for she hadn't seemed to hear him approach.

She jumped, and quickly looked to see who had just knocked. She placed a hand over her heart, and let out a sigh of relief. "Rufus, you scared me half to death! I thought it was going to be William, pleading with me to take him back." She rolled her eyes. "As if _that_ will ever happen!" She shook her head.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I checked Chuck and Blair's first. Dorota told me you weren't there, so I figured you might be here. Vanya said you were, and let me up. I'm sorry. I guess I should have called first." Rufus cleared his throat nervously. He hoped she wasn't angry with him for just showing up. The last thing he wanted to do was make her any more upset than she already was.

Lily looked at him, and gave him a weak smile. "It's all right. Actually, I'm glad for the company. I also wanted to apologize to you for not believing you at first. I should have known better than to trust William over you. Gosh, I was such an idiot!"

Rufus sat down on the end of the bed. "You're not an idiot. No woman wants to believe their husband is cheating on her. Especially when you thought he had changed."

Lily walked over tot he end of the bed, and sat down next to him. "I was an idiot to think he had changed."

Rufus nodded. "True."

Lily gasped. "Hey!" She playfully shoved him. "Kick a woman while she's down, why don't ya?"

Rufus grinned. "It's nothing personal. I think _anyone_ who trusts William is an idiot. But only in trusting him! Now that you no longer trust him, you're no longer an idiot."

"Thanks. I think," Lily said.

Rufus turned serious then. He kissed her cheek, and held her close. "How are you doing? I know finding out your husband cheating on you couldn't have felt very good."

Lily sighed into his arms, and rested her head on his shoulder. "No, it really didn't."

Rufus rubbed her left arm. "I hope you're not angry with us for setting William up, and making you find out that way. We just didn't know what else to do!"

Lily sighed. "I'm not angry, Rufus. In fact, I'm touched that you cared enough about me to not let me go on being cluelessly married to a cheater. Besides, I really gave you no choice. I didn't want to listen."

Rufus continued holding her close, and gently rubbed her back. "Well, like I said, no woman wants to believe their husband is cheating on her."

Lily looked up at him. "I just feel so stupid! I swear I was the last to know. And the sad thing is, it's my fault I was the last to know."

Rufus shook his head. "Don't worry about it. The only thing that matters is that you know now, and you can be rid of that trash for good!"

Lily nodded. "I did get him back for what he did."

Rufus looked down at her. He raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Lily grinned at him. She then told him all about her visit to William earlier, complete with the mini pencil dick announcement over the loud speaker.

Rufus burst out laughing when she finished telling the story. "A mini pencil-sized dick? Lil, I'm proud of you!"

Lily grinned. "We'll see if he ever messes with Lily Rhodes ever again!"

"I'm glad to hear you're back to Rhodes. So, you are definitely divorcing him?" Rufus asked.

Lily nodded. "Of course! I can't stay married to a cheater."

Rufus nodded. "I know. I don't want you to. I was just worried he'd convince you to forgive him. A lot of women go back to a man after he cheated on her, but once a cheater, always a cheater."

Lily nodded her agreement. "Trust me, I'm not that stupid. I learned my lesson. I'm also not desperate. Women who go back to men who cheat on them are just desperate for a man."

Rufus smirked at her, and raised an eyebrow. "You went back to him after he cheated with your sister."

Lily held her head high. "That was different. It was years after the fact, and I really thought he had changed. "But I know now that, like you said, once a cheater, always a cheater."

Rufus shook his head. "I can't _believe_ he had the nerve to say he cheated because you were bad in bed. You're _incredible_ in bed. He's just looking for someone else to blame for his lack of talent in the bedroom."

Lily blushed at the compliment, then grinned. "How do you know he has a lack of talent in the bedroom? Is there something you're not telling me, Rufus?"

Rufus felt his mouth drop open in surprise. "That is quite possibly the most disgusting thing anyone has ever implied to me."

Lily burst into laughter, and pulled out of his arms. "You should have seen the look on your face! It was priceless!"

Rufus couldn't help but laugh too. Her laughter was contagious. "You are so nasty!"

"You know you _love_ him! You know you _want_ him!" Lily sang.

"Stop it, you're sick!" Rufus said with a laugh.

"The only reason you hate him so much is because he chose me over you, and you hate that he's cheating on me because it's not with you," Lily continued to tease.

"Enough!" Rufus said with a laugh. He playfully pinned her on her back below him on the bed.

They continued to laugh, then their laughter died off as they both realized how close their face's were to each other's.

Lily reached up and gently stroked some hair out of his eyes. "You know, I had waffles today, and it made me think of you. I can never eat waffles again without thinking of you."

Rufus smiled down at her, not quite wanting to let her go yet. "You had waffles, and didn't invite me over?"

"I was at Charles and Blair's, or I would have." Lily's voice was a little breathy.

"So, this Monday, I was thinking we could start off by having lunch at Chetty's. It the restaurant in that new hotel that just opened up. I hear the food is divine," Rufus said. He rolled over onto his back beside Lily.

"That sounds good. I've been wanting to try there." Lily looked at Rufus, who was on her right. "The hotel's name is The Chapel, right?"

Rufus nodded. "That it is!" He sighed. "Unfortunately, I better be going. I have to grab something to go for lunch, then I need to get back to work."

Lily placed her hand over his chest, and gave it a gentle rub. "Well, thank you for stopping by. It really means a lot."

He took her hand in his and kissed it, then looked her in the eyes. "Of course! I love and care about you, Lil...so much. I had to check on you and see how you were. I wouldn't be me if I didn't."

Lily kissed his cheek. "I can hardly wait to see what you have planned for us on Monday."

Rufus kissed her cheek in return, then sat up. He stretched. "You're gonna love it. I can guarantee it!" He grinned at her.

She grinned in return. "Tell me what you have planned for us."

Rufus shook his head. "I'm sorry, Lil, you're just going to have to wait and see!" He winked at her.

She pouted, and sat up. "I hate waiting for surprises."

"I know." Rufus bent down, and kissed her forehead. He then gently stroked her hair. "But it will be worth the wait. I promise!"

Lily smiled. "Have a good day at work!"

"Thanks. I'm sure I will. I love my job." He waved to her. "I'll call you later about Monday!"

"All right," Lily said, waving back.

Rufus then headed down the stairs, smiling to himself. He seemed to have cheered Lily up. Heck, he was now in a better mood himself. Lily just kind of had that effect on him.

~Begin Again~

William couldn't believe Lily had done what she had done. He had never been so embarrassed before in his life! He supposed he deserved it, but still. Who knew Lily had that in her?

Even so, he still wanted Lily. He couldn't live without her. She was the love of his life no matter how bad and boring in bed she was.

He was glad it was finally time for his lunch. He needed to get out of the hospital and away from his snickering coworkers. Heck, most of his female colleagues were even giving him dirty looks. _That_ certainly didn't help matters.

He headed out of the hospital and down to the parking garage, wishing he could just take the rest of the day off. Lucky for him, in his hospital, there was always one scandal or another. He would be yesterday's news come a week or so. However, until then, work was going to be incredibly awkward.

As he got to his car, he saw a familiar brunette standing there waiting for him. This one, he was very pleased to see, and not for the usual reason he was pleased to see a pretty brunette.

"Hello, Lisa," he said as he approached his car.

"Hello, William," Lisa said cooly. She had her arms crossed over her chest as she rested her back against his car. "Care to go for a drive?"

"I thought you'd never ask. Hop in!" He pressed the button on his car remote, unlocking the doors after two quick beeps.

They then got into the car, and moments later, William pulled out of the garage.

"So, you got yourself caught," Lisa said simply.

He glanced over at her for just a second before putting his eyes back on the road. "You failed to inform me of the second plan."

"I didn't know about it until it was after the fact. They brought in Georgina when I wasn't around," Lisa said dryly. "Now what?"

"We'll talk about it at lunch. We'll go to McDonald's. Nobody we know eats there," William said.

"Fine," Lisa responded.

They rode in silence the rest of the way there.

~BA~

We arrived at McDonald's and ordered. Then, once we were seated at a table for two a good three booths down from anyone, giving us our privacy, I began the conversation. "I've been thinking of a plan. Now that Lily wants a divorce from me, I think you and I both know that Rufus is going to start to fall back into his old Lily habits again, if you know what I mean."

Lisa nodded. "And Lily will fall back into her old Rufus habits." She took a sip of her Coke.

"So, I was thinking you could ask Rufus if you could move the wedding up—or at least elope. You can always still have the wedding in April. You can just make it official a lot sooner. I know Rufus, and therefore I know that he is not the type of guy to cheat once he is married. I remember trying to get him to fall for Holland, and it almost worked! But, he was still married to Lily, and despite their problems, he couldn't get himself to even kiss her. "Pathetic." I took a bite of one of my French fries. As a doctor, I knew this food wasn't healthy, but right then, I really didn't give a damn. Eating healthy was the least of my problems.

"Heaven forbid a guy be loyal in his marriage, right?" Lisa asked, rolling her eyes.

"I know, right?" William asked. "I don't know how men do it!"

Again, Lisa rolled her eyes. "I was being sarcastic. I may not be Lily's biggest fan, but I still think it's pretty crappy of you to cheat on her. If you love her so much, you should stay loyal."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not going soft on me, are you? You're still willing to help me, aren't you?"

Lisa sighed, and took a bite of her salad. "I'm not going soft on you. It's called having a conscience. You should try getting one of those one of these days."

I shook my head. "No, I don't think I'd like it."

Lisa rolled her eyes yet again. "I'll still help you, but only because I don't want to lose Rufus. I really wish you'd stop cheating on Lily though, so I wouldn't have to feel guilty."

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises." Cassidy had dumped me anyway. She said she didn't like liars. Whatever. For the time being, I was willing to give up cheating. Maybe if Lily and I got a sex therapist, she'd be better in bed, and I wouldn't feel the need to cheat anymore. Then again, New York was full of many beautiful single women, so, like I told Lisa, I wasn't making any promises.

"I do kind of like your idea about pushing up the wedding. Well, eloping. We already have a place reserved, and caterers. It wouldn't be easy to just move that up. But yes, we could elope and still have the wedding. You're right. I do think he'd be more apt to cheat on me if we weren't married than he would if we were." Lisa pushed some lettuce around in her plate for a moment before finally stabbing into it, and eating it.

"And it's not going to be easy getting her back, but I'm not going to give up on Lily. I'm going to try to win her back. You and I are just gonna have to keep an extra close watch on them, and make sure that they don't start to get even closer over this," I said.

Lisa looked at me. "You know, we wouldn't have had to worry about this had you been more careful. I mean, seriously, what kind of idiot continues cheating so soon after he's been caught? Couldn't you have just laid low for a while until things blew over?"

I shook my head. "I thought Cassidy and I were being discreet enough. Besides, I didn't think I had to worry about it. I thought Lily and everyone had bought my excuse when I brought Meg into the game."

"Well, you should have known that Rufus wouldn't be so stupid as to fall for that lame coverup! And, for the record, this isn't a game we're playing, William. Rufus is my life. I can't have my life taken away from me. I just can't!" Lisa snapped.

Wow. Lisa was a little more whack job than I had thought! Rufus sure had a winner on his hands. I snickered at my own sarcasm.

"What are you laughing at? I'm serious!" Lisa said.

I pulled myself together by clearing my throat. "I know you're serious, just as I'm serious about getting Lily back. Look, just talk to Rufus about eloping, and of course, help to keep him away from Lily. I'll do my part."

"By doing your part that better mean no more cheating!" Lisa snapped. "At least not until Rufus and I are married."

I held up my hands. "Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize getting Lily back."

"Yeah, well, you better mean that! Keep it in your pants when it comes to other women! I'm not going to let you screw this up for me," Lisa said.

"I will!" I crossed my finger over my heart. "Cross my heart." I then couldn't help but grin. "You know, you're kind of cute when you're all riled up and bossy."

Lisa rolled her eyes, and flung a raspberry vinaigrette-covered round tomato at me. "Don't even put that thought in your head!"

I smiled to myself as I took a napkin and gently dabbed the spot on my jacket where the assaulting tomato had hit. I liked my women feisty. Which is exactly why I had to get Cassidy back. I'd work on that as soon as Lisa took care of her part of the plan. Until then, like it or not, I had to be on my best behavior.

~BA~

"Remember the plan!" William said upon arriving back in the parking garage,

Lisa undid her seatbelt and looked over at him. "Same to you, Buddy."

"Of course!" William said with a nod of his head.

Lisa got out of the car. "Thanks for lunch," she said before shutting the door behind her, since William had paid for her lunch.

In his rearview mirror, William watched Lisa disappear in her own car. He then sighed, and got out of his car once she was gone. He meant it. He'd keep his part of the plan. But Lisa was going to have to keep hers as well. It was going to be hard enough trying to get Lily to forgive him for the second time. He knew the only way Lily would even think about going back to him was if she knew for sure that Rufus wasn't an option any longer.

He sighed. He supposed he really _had_ been stupid, cheating again so soon. He had underestimated Rufus and his little cronies. Well, he wouldn't be so stupid and careless this time. No, this time, he was going to get Lily back, and then he would never let Lily go. She was his, and she always would be whether she liked it or not.

~Begin Again~

Chuck was waiting for William. He had tried to catch him on his lunch break, but William had already left by the time Chuck had gotten there. Chuck knew that William must have left a little early, which annoyed him even more.

So, after an hour and fifteen minutes of waiting, Chuck was more than relieved to see William's car pull back into the lot.

William smirked at him through the windshield, apparently having seen him as soon as he was within eyeshot.

William parked the car, and got out. "Hello, Chuck. To what do I owe this displeasure?"

"I think you know," Chuck said calmly. It was taking everything he had in him not to pummel William right there. But he had promised Lily he wouldn't resort to violence. Anyway, she was right. If he were to lay a finger on William, William would have him arrested. And, as good as it would feel to knock out William, Chuck wasn't going to make Blair and Henry, or even Lily for that matter, suffer because of him. They all needed him right now, and he wouldn't be able to be with them if he were in jail. So, instead, he'd have to settle for verbal abuse.

William sighed. "What do you want, Chuck?" He looked at is watch. "I have to get back to work."

"Don't worry, this won't take long. I just want to warn you to not fight Lily on this divorce. You had your chance with her, and you blew it—twice. Now let her go. Apparently, you're not satisfied with her anyway. Let her divorce you, then you can have all the women you want," Chuck said.

William smirked. "And if I don't let her go?"

Chuck shrugged. "Then you're going to have to deal with me," he said simply.

William laughed. "And what exactly do you plan on doing if I don't give Lily up?"

"Trust me, you don't want to find out." Chuck said, inching closer to William.

"I'm not afraid of you, Chuck," William stated.

Chuck inched even closer to William, so much that William was almost pinned against the driver side door. "You should be."

William swallowed, seemingly nervous, but he stood his ground. "And what are you going to do? Have me killed?"

Chuck laughed. "Of course not. I'm not my father." He moved so that his lips were almost brushing against William's left ear. "I prefer to make you _wish_ I had killed you." He then stepped back, and pat William's shoulder in a mock friendly way. "You have a good day at work now." With that, he walked away, and headed back toward the limo, not looking back. Chuck figured, if William was smart, he'd heed his message.

~Begin Again~

Rufus waited by the elevators in the section that led to the garage that William used. He checked his watch. He knew William got out of work at five. It was five minutes to five. He sat down on the bench that was in there, and waited. He had left the gallery a little early. He had to talk to William. The anger was just eating him up inside so badly that he would burst if he didn't get to tell off William off face-to-face. He had always hated William. Even from the first time meeting him he had thought that William was a pompous, arrogant ass hole. The more he got to know William, the more his not liking him turned into despising him. And now that William had hurt Lily, there wasn't anyone left on this planet that Rufus hated more.

Fifteen minutes later, William finally came out of the elevators. When he saw Rufus, he sighed. "Hello, Rufus. I had a feeling I'd be seeing you sometime today. First Lily, then Chuck. Why not you next, right?"

William's smug attitude made Rufus even angrier. He clenched his fists, and stood up. "You son of a bitch! How dare you cheat on Lily? Did you think she deserved that?"

William shook his head. "Lily is the only woman I love, Rufus. The only one who hurt her is you, by nosing around and making her find out I was cheating on her."

Rufus stepped closer to him. "Don't you _dare_ try to twist this around on me."

William chuckled. "Relax, Rufus! You're so uptight! Look, yes, I cheated on Lily, and it was wrong of me. But I just wanted a little fun and variety in my life. Sure I was with Cassidy, but Lily's always been where my heart is. Heck, I was doing Lily a favor, actually."

Rufus crossed his arms over his chest. "And how in hell do you think you were doing her a favor by cheating on her?" This he had to hear.

William smirked. "Well, I'm keeping myself sexually satisfied so that I don't have to leave Lily. She's not that great in bed. You know, she was good at first, but then it started to get a little boring in the bedroom. By me having a little variety, it keeps things fresh between Lily and I. With good sex on the side, I don't resent her, and therefore there wouldn't be any problem in our relationship. But you just had to play the hero and tattle on me, therefore ruining it all."

"You son of a bitch!" Rufus said, ready to punch the smug smirk right of William's face.

William laughed, held his hands up, and stepped back. "Now, now, Rufus. I wouldn't do that if I were you. We both know if you punch me, I'll call the police and have you arrested. And how would Lisa feel if her husband-to-be was put in jail?"

Rufus clenched his fists again, feeling his face heat up. "You just stay the hell away from Lily. You already hurt her twice, and I'll be damned if I ever let you hurt her again!" He turned to leave so that his anger didn't get the best of him, and so that he wouldn't be unable to stop himself from punching the living daylights out of William. However, he stopped in the doorway, and looked back at William. "And, for the record, Lily is _amazing_ in bed. I never had a single complaint! So, it must be you." He then turned on his heel and left, taking a little pleasure in knowing that those last words would bring William's blood to a boil.

"You're the one who needs to stay the hell away from her, Rufus!" William called out after him. "She isn't your wife anymore. She's mine."

"She won't be your wife for long," Rufus said as he continued walking to his car. He was done with William, and it sure as hell felt good to know that Lily was finally done with him as well.

~Begin Again~

Lisa was no fool. She knew that in order to get what you wanted from a man, you had to be a little persuasive. So, she made Rufus his favorite dish, and had everything waiting for him on the table when he got home. She was also dressed up in a sexy little black dress that was just short enough and just low-cut enough to make him want to see more of her body without him actually seeing more of her body. She had the lights dimmed, and candles lit on the table. She also had soft music playing.

When Rufus slid open the doors to the loft, and then slid them shut, she was waiting.

He smiled when he turned around and saw everything she had done for him. "Is all this for me?"

"No, it's for John Bon Jovi," Lisa deadpanned. "Of course it's for you, Silly!" She walked over to him, and helped him slip his jacket off.

"Is that waffles I smell?" he asked as she hung up his jacket in the closet.

"You know it!" Lisa shut the closet door, then wrapped her arms around him from behind, and smiled. She kissed his cheek. "I decided to make your favorite meal for dinner."

Rufus turned around to take her outfit in. He whistled. "Woah. You look so sexy! I mean, don't get me wrong, you always look sexy. But, tonight..." He whistled again.

Lisa grinned, and twirled around to give him a better look. "So, you like it?"

Rufus licked his lips and nodded. "Like it? Baby, I love it! How could I not?"

"Good! I'm glad." Lisa grinned again, and kissed his lips. "Now, let's go eat before the food gets cold."

Rufus walked over to the table with her, and pulled out the chair for her.

"Thank you! I'm lucky to have a fiancé who's such a gentleman!" Lisa said as she sat down in her chair, and let Rufus push it back in for her.

"Well, I'm lucky to have such a beautiful and sexy fiancé who cooks me my favorite meal just because!" He finished pushing Lisa back in, then sat down in his chair.

Lisa blushed. "Well, I did this because I love you, and I love making you happy, but, to be perfectly honest, there _is_ something I'd like to discuss with you."

Rufus raised an eyebrow at her, and smiled. "Oh? And what would that be?" He winked at her.

"Well, I was kind of thinking that you and I could elope," Lisa said simply. She pushed her food around with her fork, nervously awaiting his reaction.

Rufus looked up at her in surprise. "But we already have all the plans for the wedding started. We hired the caterers, and have the church and the reception hall booked. Not to mention the florist has probably already started importing all of those special roses you wanted."

Lisa nodded. "I know. I'm not saying I want to not have a wedding. I still want the wedding. I just think it would be nice if we could elope first. You know, we can marry in private, and then the pressure will be taken off come our actual wedding day."

Rufus moved his waffles around with his fork. "I don't know." He looked up at her. "Wouldn't that be kind of weird? I mean, the day we got married would be different from the day we had our wedding. What day would be our anniversary date?"

"Well, the day we made it legal. But, if you'd rather it be the day we have the wedding, I'm fine with that too. All that matters to me is that I end up married to you." She smiled at him. "Or, we could even celebrate both days." She grinned. "Don't worry, you'd only have to get me one present. You wouldn't have to get me _two_ anniversary gifts!" She chuckled at her own joke.

Rufus smiled, but it didn't look full-hearted to Lisa. "I don't know. I want this to be about you since our wedding is your day, but... I don't know. I know it sounds kind of funny since I'm a man and men usually don't have sentimental feelings as much as women do, but I kind of like the idea of our wedding being the same day I marry you. It would just feel off if we eloped first. Maybe even a little weird."

Lisa smiled at him, and placed her right hand over his left hand from across the table, giving it a little squeeze. "Well, it will be your day too. It doesn't sound funny. I like a guy who cares about important things. But, Honey, does it really matter when we get married? I mean, the important thing is that we get married. Right?"

Rufus smiled at her. "You're right, but..." he sighed. "I won't say no right off the bat without at least considering eloping. Just give me a little bit of time to think about it, all right?"

Lisa didn't want to push him, but she _really_ wished he'd say yes right away. She held back a sigh. Instead, she smiled at him, and gave his hand another gentle squeeze. "Okay. Just try not to make me wait too long for an answer, all right?"

Rufus smiled back at her, and gently rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "I won't. I promise."

Lisa continued smiling at him, then kissed his hand before letting it go, and going back to her meal.

"So, how was your day today? Did you get out at all?" Rufus asked before taking a bite of his waffle.

Lisa took a sip of her milk. There was no way she could tell him about visiting William. She hated to lie, but sometimes, a girl had to do what a girl had to do. "I didn't do much. I went out and had some breakfast, then I did a little shopping—hence this dress. I took a nap at home after that. When I woke up, I went back out and got a quick lunch, then I got some groceries for tonight's dinner, went home, and relaxed at home until it was time to make dinner."

"Well, I'm glad you had a good day," Rufus said with a smile.

"So, how about you? How was work?" Lisa asked before biting into a slice of turkey bacon. She had gotten the turkey bacon because she was trying to lose a little weight before the wedding.

Rufus took a sip of his orange juice before answering. "It was all right. It was a little slower than usual, but I did sell a couple expensive paintings, so it made up for it."

"How is Lily doing?" Lisa asked, noticing how he hadn't bothered to mention her.

"She's doing all right. She's more angry than sad. Which is good. That son of a bitch doesn't deserve her tears." Rufus suddenly looked angry as he stabbed his fork into another piece of French toast.

"That's good. So, did you guys do lunch together?" Lisa felt half sick, and half annoyed at the thought of them sharing lunch together. It would be just like Lily to horn in on Rufus, she knew.

Rufus shook his head. "Na! I didn't want to stay away from the gallery for too long. We talked, then I left, and grabbed a Coke and a quick slice of pizza before heading back to work."

"I see," Lisa said, hiding a smile. She was glad Rufus had said no to lunch. She was sure Lily had probably asked him to lunch. The bitch.

"Mm, that was so good! Thank you!" Rufus said upon finishing dinner. "Did you get any dessert?"

Lisa nodded her head. "I did bake a blueberry pie, but I'm trying to lose weight for the wedding, so if I have a slice, do you think you can help me work it off?" She smiled at him, and seductively batted her eyelashes.

Rufus grinned. "Oh, I think I can manage that! In fact, I'm willing to work overtime it helps you out." He winked at her then licked his lips, his eyes scanning her chest.

Lisa giggled. "That would definitely help me out!" She got up, then made her way over to Rufus. She took him in her arms from behind, and kissed the side of his neck. She then purred into his ear, "I promise to make it worth your while." Then, smiling over her shoulder at him as he moaned, she slowly sauntered over to the kitchen to get the pie, making sure to sashay her hips as she did so. She wasn't stupid. She knew the two ways to a man's heart were through his stomach and the bedroom, and tonight, she would accomplish both.

She smiled to herself, hoping that, by tomorrow, _he'd_ be the one begging _her_ to elope. If she had anything to do with it, he would be.


	13. Leprecon

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 13: Lepre**_**con **

Lisa got up super early just to make breakfast for her future husband. Last night had been amazing, and she hoped that cooking him breakfast might just seal the deal.

So, she went about making him French toast, and all his favorite side dishes, and by the time Rufus appeared in the kitchen, everything was already set out on the island.

He grinned, and grabbed her from behind. He kissed the side of her neck. "Good morning, Beautiful!"

She turned around and smiled at him, then they kissed sweetly on the lips.

"Good morning, Handsome!" She kissed him one more time. "I made breakfast for you. I figured after last night, you might have worked up an appetite." She grinned, and winked at him.

He grinned as well. "You know it!" He licked his lips as he surveyed all the food. "Mm, it all looks good."

"I hope you're in the mood for French toast. I would have made you waffles, but we did just have them last night, so..." Lisa trailed off.

"Well, you know me, I can go for waffles any time any day, but I just so happen to love French toast as well, so we're good." He grinned at her, then stroked her hair and gave her a quick peck on the lips before sitting down at the island in front of one of the two plates she had set out.

She grabbed the grape juice from the fridge, then poured them both a glass before sitting down next to him in front of the other plate. "So," she said casually as she picked at her scrambled eggs, "have you taken any more thought about eloping?" She looked over at him, silently willing him to say yes, he _will_ elope with her.

However, Rufus shook his head. "I don't know yet. Can I just have one more day to think about it?" He looked at her with pleading eyes.

Lisa nodded. "Sure! After all, I want us both to be happy about the decision. I don't want you resenting me over it."

"Baby, I'd never resent you!" Rufus smiled at her, and placed his right hand over her left hand. "I just want to think about it for a bit, all right?"

Lisa nodded, and kissed his hand. She smiled at him. "All right."

He smiled too, then went back to devouring his French toast.

Lisa held back a sigh. Well, so much for Rufus begging her to elope, come morning. She stuffed some scrambled eggs into her mouth, and chewed a little rougher than usual. She just hoped William's part of the plan was going better than hers was.

~Begin Again~

Lily was relieved when she came home that morning to find that William had indeed moved his things out. She had thought he was going to fight her on it. Though, for all she knew, he was staying with that Cassidy whore. She knew William said that he had broken it off with Cassidy, but Lily knew better than to believe anything William said. At least, _now_ she did.

She headed into the kitchen to get a drink, and stopped short when she saw the huge bouquet of red roses setting in a crystal vase filled with water on the island. She went over and sniffed the roses. They were beautiful. There had to be a good three dozen there. The vase was huge. She saw a little card nestled off toward the side. She picked it out of the flowers, and read it.

_My Dearest Lily, I am so sorry. Please forgive me. -W_

Lily rolled her eyes, and tore the card in two before tossing it in the trash. She contemplated tossing the roses in the trash as well, but decided against it. They were pretty, and they smelled good. There was no use in wasting perfectly good roses, she figured. She'd just pretend they were from Rufus.

She blushed at her own thought. She knew she shouldn't be thinking about Rufus in a romantic manner. After all, he was an engaged man. It was just... He was always so good to her. Out of all her past husbands, she knew that Rufus was the one who would never cheat on her. He loved her, and his love for her showed. She had just been too stupid to see it before.

She sighed, then headed up to take a shower and get dressed for her day with Rufus. She wished it hadn't taken her so long to realize that Rufus was the best thing that had ever happened to her. If she had just taken him back when he talked Bart into signing the annulment papers... If she hadn't been such a foolish bitch and just taken him back; accepted his attempt to patch things up between them... She sighed again. Why didn't she get it back then? Why didn't she get that by getting Bart to sign the annulment papers, Rufus _was_ fighting for her, and he _did_ love her?

She knew now it was too late. Rufus had moved on, and she was just going to have to live with her mistake for the rest of her life.

She sighed yet again. Life could really be a bitch sometimes.

~Begin Again~

Rufus was smiling all day. He loved his days with Lily. True, they had only had one day together so far, but he got to pick what they do this day, and therefore, he was very excited for it. It also helped that he was going to be seeing Lily again. He just hoped he could make her smile too. After all, he knew that deep down, despite her tough exterior, she _had_ to be hurting. Her husband had cheated on her. Heck, he probably was _still_ cheating on her. And, no matter how much he hated William, Rufus knew that Lily had loved him. This had to be hurting her more than she was leading on. Maybe even more than she wanted to admit to herself. So, today, he was making it his duty to cheer her up, and make her forget all about William. Even if it was only for the day.

They met at The Chapel, the new hotel that housed Chetty's, the restaurant they would be trying out.

Lily looked adorable, he noticed, in her black peacoat and black cashmere hat. She had a matching cashmere scarf that matched with the hat, and was wrapped around her mouth. To complete the set, she had on black cashmere gloves as well.

"Lily? Is that you underneath there?" he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Rufus, it's cold!"

He grinned. "I wasn't going to insult you. In fact, I think you look rather cute underneath all those layers." He pulled her into a hug.

Lily hugged him tightly back. "I can't believe you're wearing a puffer coat," she said, referring to his chunky blue puffer coat.

"Shut up, Lily, it's cold!" he teased.

Lily broke free from the hug. "Touché." There was a hint of amusement in her tone, but because of the scarf covering her mouth, there was no way to tell if she was smiling or not.

He placed a hand over her back. "Let's go in and get warm, shall we?"

Lily nodded. "Please."

They headed into the restaurant, and Rufus gave the host his name. "I called in asking to reserve the table by the fireplace," he said to the host.

The host nodded. "Of course, Mr. Humphrey. Right this way."

Lily raised an eyebrow at Rufus as they headed toward the table. "I'm impressed! How did you even know they had a fireplace?"

"I looked the restaurant up Online," Rufus said proudly, like a kid bragging to his classmates that he got an "A" on the spelling test.

"Impressive," Lily said with a wink. She sounded amused again.

Once they were brought to their table, the host assured them their waiter would be right over, then he took off.

Rufus quickly pulled Lily's chair out for her.

"Why thank you! You always were such a gentleman," Lily said as she peeled off her scarf, and draped it over the back of her chair. Next, she pulled off her gloves and shoved them into her coat pockets, then took off her coat, and draped that over her chair as well. Finally, she sat down.

Rufus pushed her chair in for her, then kissed her cheek. "I can do that now that it's not covered by your scarf," he told her with a smile and a wink.

She smiled at him, then kissed his cheek in return.

He smiled again, then stood back up and took off his gloves. He shoved them in his coat pockets, then draped his coat over his chair in the same manner than Lily had with hers. Then, he sat down. "It's nice and warm in here!"

"Thanks to the fire," Lily said with a grin as she nodded toward the fire place.

Rufus noticed her beautiful purple cowl neck cashmere sweater. It went well with her medium-wash bootcut blue jeans, and black Christian Louboutin boots. She also wore a skinny gold belt over the waist of the sweater. He nodded at her. "You look beautiful, Kel. I love that sweater on you. I mean, you always look beautiful, you look specially beautiful in that sweater. Maybe because the purple looks pretty with your brown eyes."

Lily blushed, and pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ears. "Thanks. And you're looking pretty darn handsome as usual."

Rufus looked down at his own outfit, as if reminding himself of what he had chosen to wear today. He was wearing an old pair of dark-wash blue jeans, black Sorel boots, and a blue and white plaid shirt buttoned over a black T-shirt. "It's nothing all that fancy. I should have dressed better."

Lily took his right hand from across the table, and gently rubbed her thumb over it. "Rufus, you could dress in a black trash bag and still be the sexiest man on earth. Besides, I happened to love that look on you. I always have even when we were married. It's good to see you still wear things like that."

It was Rufus who blushed this time, and he usually wasn't a blusher. "I hope their food is good here," he said after giving her hand a gentle squeeze in return. He hadn't known how to respond to her, so he settled upon changing the subject.

Lily smirked at him, as if knowing exactly what he was doing. "It's a five-star hotel this place is in. The food _better_ be good!" Lily said.

Rufus laughed, then pulled his hand away to grab his menu. He was grateful she didn't tease him about his lack for words. Then again, Lily always had been considerate of his feelings. She was special that way.

~Begin Again~

Lunch had been delicious, as had dessert. Lily had never had white chocolate mousse cake before, but now that she had, she knew it wouldn't be her last time trying it. It was delicious!

All through lunch, she had tried to get Rufus to tell her where he had planned for them to go. However, he was not giving her any clues. Even so, she had such a good time with him! For a while, it seemed like old times. They talked about old times, and joked around. He made her laugh, and she made him laugh. Lily was starting to feel the forbidden feelings for Rufus bubble to the surface again. She tried her best to push them aside, but the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, and the way his blue-green eyes sparkled... It was just very hard for her to ignore her feelings—especially with all the old times talk. However, she knew she had to stifle her feelings. Rufus was engaged to marry another woman. She had no choice but to stifle her feelings for him.

Rufus paid the bill and left the tip, then they bundled back up, and headed out of the restaurant, into the hotel.

"Let's get pictures to remember this part of our day," he said, taking out his iphone.

Lily grinned. "All right."

"Excuse me, Miss?" Rufus asked, stopping a lady on her way in. "Can you please take a picture of me and my friend?"

The lady took the iphone from him. "Sure."

So, Rufus and Lily stood side-by-side in front of the restaurant, and the lady took a picture of them.

"Would you mind taking one more on my phone?" Lily asked, handing the lady her iphone after the lady handed back Rufus's iphone to him.

"Sure," she said again.

So, they got one more picture in the same pose.

"Thank you so much," Lily said to her when the lady handed her her phone back.

Rufus nodded. "Yes, thank you!"

The lady smiled. "You're very welcome." She then headed into the restaurant, and Rufus and Lily headed back out into the cold.

"So, _now_ can you tell me where we're going?" Lily asked, latching onto his arm, and resting her head on his shoulder.

Rufus smiled at her. "All right. We're going to go to the park.  
"And what are we going to do there?" she asked.

He looked forward, and smiled again. "You'll see."

"Rufus, you know I hate waiting for surprises," Lily said with a sigh.

Rufus nodded. "I know! Which is exactly why I'm making you wait!"

Lily pulled away from him, and gently swatted him. "You're an ass, Rufus." But then she grinned, and wrapped her arm around his waist.

Rufus grinned as well, and, without looking at her, wrapped his arm around her waist as well. "You'll find out soon enough. We're just about there."

They were silent for a moment, then Rufus spoke again. "You know, Lisa wants us to elope before the wedding."

Lily looked up at him in surprise. "She what now? Why would you elope and then have a wedding? Why not just get married when you have the wedding?"

Rufus nodded, and looked at her in return. "I know, right? I asked her that, but she made up some excuse about eloping first taking the pressure off of the wedding."

"So, when does she want to elope?" Lily asked.

Rufus shrugged. "I don't know, but she sure seems in a hurry for an answer. I promised her I'd let her know my answer after today."

Lily was quiet for a moment as she thought about this sudden turn of events. And, the more she thought about it, the more it made her blood boil. Actually, it was the more she thought about _Lisa_ that made her blood boil.

~BA~

That little bitch is so jealous of me, and so threatened by what Rufus and I have that she is now pushing him to marry her ASAP! It's pathetic, really. She knows now that William is out of the picture, I'm even more of a threat to her now than ever. I see right through Lisa. She thinks that by marrying Rufus, that will secure her spot in his life, and therefore push me out. The thing that made me even angrier was knowing that she was right. I know Rufus better than anyone, and I know that he is not the type of guy to cheat—especially not when he's married. And, when he's married, it's not as easy to leave her because it's legal then. You have to go through the state to get divorced.

Lisa is a clever one, I'll give her that. But she is also an amateur. If I wanted to have Rufus as my own, I could. Heck, a part of me was so angry, I wanted to scheme to make him mine right then. After all, I _am_ a pro when it comes to scheming. Granted I may not be as good of a schemer as Blair or Georgina, but I could still scheme with the best of them. However, even though I can barely stand Lisa, I wasn't going to try to steal her man from her. I guess being cheated on by William softened me. At least when it came to something like this. After all, how could I steal Rufus from her when my husband just cheated on me? I knew how it felt to be cheated on, and no matter how much I disliked Lisa, I couldn't make her go through that feeling I was going through. I couldn't make her feel worthless and stupid. No woman deserved that. I wasn't going to be Rufus' Cassidy. Besides, I wasn't sure I was even ready for another relationship.

For as long as I can remember, whenever I'd break up with a man or divorce him, I just jumped right into the next relationship. I jumped right into the next marriage. Well, maybe that was why I was failing miserably in the love department. I was always looking for a man to fix my broken heart when in reality, what I really needed was time to heal on my own before jumping into another relationship. I guess I just always felt like I needed a man to feel complete. But, due to the past experiences I've had with men so far, I was now starting to believe that maybe I _didn't_ need a man to feel complete at all. In fact, maybe what I really needed was to be by myself for a while. After all, when you're single, you don't have to worry about being let down by a backstabbing, good for nothing man. Not that Rufus was one of those, but still, the single life would be good for me. At least for a while.

~BA~

"We're here!" Rufus said.

Lily snapped back to earth. She had been majorly spacing out. "All right, so, now that we're here, can you please tell me what we're going to do here?" she asked.

"You'll see in a minute," Rufus said with a shrug.

Lily cried out in frustration, and stomped her foot. "Ugh, you are so annoying!"

Rufus only grinned at her, then continued to lead her through the park.

Finally, he stopped...in front of the carousel.

"The carousel?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.

Rufus nodded. "I called ahead to make sure it was opened today."

Lily groaned. "Rufus!" she whined. "I told you before I don't want to ride it! I'll look silly!"

Rufus smirked. "And I told _you_ before that other adults ride it, even without kids."

Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, _tourists_."

Rufus smiled. "I'm sure every New Yorker has been on the carousel at least once in their life. I have. I rode it just Alison and I before, and I also rode it with Lisa."

"We never rode it together when _we_ were married," Lily said simply. She was a little hurt that he had taken his other lovers on it, but not her.

Rufus through his hands in the air. "You don't even want to go on it, now you're complaining I never took you?"

"Well, you didn't know then that I didn't want to go on it!" Lily defended herself.

Rufus let out a frustrated cry. "Well, I'm taking you now, so quit complaining! Besides, it's my pick, so I get to decide what we do, and this is one of the things I chose to do."

Lily rolled her eyes, her arms still crossed over her chest. "Fine, but if anyone laughs at us, I'm telling them you're mentally challenged, and I am just taking you out for a special outing today."

Rufus shook his head. "You're crazy, Lil." He then went to buy the tickets.

Lily smirked as she waited for him to buy the tickets. _He_ wanted to go on that silly thing, so _he_ could be the one to pay for the tickets. Anyway, it was a set rule that whoever picked what they did, paid.

He came back a short moment later, and handed her a ticket. "Come on. It will be more fun than you think!" he said to her with a wink.

She rolled her eyes, but took the ticket. "We'll see," she said, though secretly, she was actually looking forward to it. After all, she'd be riding it with Rufus, and anything done with Rufus was bound to be a fun time. She would know. She was married to him once. She grinned at the memory.

~Begin Again~

"Not a picture!" Lily said as Rufus held his iphone up from the horse beside hers.

Rufus grinned, and quickly snapped a picture before she could cover her face. He was glad she had opted to simply drape her scarf around her neck this time instead of wrapping it around her mouth like she had before lunch.

"You better not show that to anyone," Lily warned.

Rufus shook his head. "No, it's just for me."

Lily blushed. "Well, let me take one of you then." She took out her iphone from the holder on the side of her purse, and aimed it at him once she got the camera going.

Rufus grinned, allowing her a nice picture. "Take one like this!" He then said before putting his hand in the air, and hanging onto an invisible rope as he pretended to lasso the horse in front of him.

Lily laughed. "You have no shame. You're a 48 going on 49-year-old on a carousel, playing cowboy." She snapped a picture. "I bet you wouldn't even be embarrassed if I showed this picture to someone." She held the phone out so that he could see the picture.

He looked at it and laughed. "Nope!"

Lily shook her head and smiled, then slipped her phone back in her purse.

"I did something stupid, now you pose stupid," he said.

Lily shook her head. "Oh, no! You may not get embarrassed by something like that, but I do!"

"Oh, come on, Lil! Where's your sense of adventure?" Rufus asked.

Lily burst out laughing. "My sense of adventure? We're on a carousel, Rufus. If this is what you call adventure, I think I need to get you out of your loft more."

Rufus laughed. "Shut up! You know what I mean."

Lily looked at him, so he made puppy dog eyes, and pouted. "Please? Just this once? For me?" he asked.

Lily shook her head, but smiled nonetheless. "Oh all right. But only for you!" She looked around. "Hm, let me see..." She smiled at the little girl on the other side of her who was wearing a plastic pink crown.

She reached over and gently tapped the girl on the shoulder. "Excuse me, Sweetie, but can I borrow your crown for just a moment?"

The little girl nodded, and handed over her crown with one hand.

"Thank you! I'll get this right back to you." Lily then slid off her horse, and walked to the sleigh that was right behind the row of horses she, Rufus, and the girl were in.

Rufus looked behind him. "Lil, what are you doing?"

Lily sat in the front row of the sleigh, which was unoccupied, and put the crown on. "I'm a queen, waving to my people," she said, holding her hand out to the side in a frozen queen's wave.

Rufus laughed. "You're crazier than I am!" He quickly took out his phone, and snapped a picture.

Lilt grinned for the picture, then once he had taken it, she stayed in the sleigh for the remainder of the ride.

When the ride was done, she got out of the sleigh, and was going to hand the crown back to the little girl, but Rufus stopped her. "Hey, Darling," he said to the little girl, "do you think you could take a quick picture of me and my friend before she gives you your crown back?" He held his iphone out to the girl, who looked to be no older than nine or ten.

"Sure!" the girl said with a cheery smile. She took the iphone from Rufus.

"Thank you!" Rufus then nodded at Lily. "Lil, get up on my horse with me. Get behind me, and hang on to my waist."

Lily looked at Rufus like he had just asked her to jump off a cliff with him. "Rufus, we'll never fit!"

Rufus brushed off her concern. "Sure we will. Anyway, it's just for a picture. Come on. Put the crown back on. I wanna make it look like I'm a prince, riding off into the sunset together with his princess."

Lily smirked. "And I think the craziest person award is back to you." Even so, she managed to get onto the horse with him. She put her crown back on, then smiled at the girl, who was holding the iphone at them.

"Wrap your arms tightly around him!" the girl ordered.

Lily did as told.

"Now smile and look in love!" the girl said.

Lily and Rufus both laughed at this, and the girl snapped a picture.

"It's looks good! You guys make a beautiful princess and prince," the girl said, handing Rufus his iphone back once Rufus and Lily were both off the horse. Rufus had even helped "his princess" off the horse.

"Thank you so much," Rufus said.

"And thank you for letting me borrow your crown. Is it your birthday today?" Lily asked, handing the crown back to the girl, who promptly put it back in her own head.

The girl nodded proudly. "I'm ten today!"

"Well, you're a very mature, very beautiful and sweet girl," Lily told her.

"Thank you," the girl said, doing a curtsey before running off to see her mom.

"She _was_ pretty mature for her age. She took our picture like a pro!" Rufus showed Lily the picture, which looked amazing.

"There we are, smiling like we're in love," Lily teased.

Rufus looked up from his phone, and smiled at her, his eyes looking deep into hers. "Yeah, we are."

Lily licked her lips, and looked away from him. "You'll have to send me a copy of that picture."

Rufus turned his attention back to his phone, and, a moment later, Lily's phone buzzed, alerting her of a new email.

"Done," Rufus said, grinning at her.

She grinned back at him, knowing he had just sent her the picture. "So, where to now, my prince?" she teased, latching onto his arm.

He winked at her. "You'll see."

She sighed, but smiled nonetheless. She then rested her head against his shoulder.

Rufus pulled her closer. "Don't worry, you're gonna love it!"

"I know," she said with a dreamy smile.

Rufus resisted the urge to kiss her, for he knew that most definitely would _not_ be appropriate. Then, he led her to their next destination.

~Begin Again~

"This is so clichéd, and yet, it's perfect!" Lily said as she climbed onto the carriage. Rufus' next stop had been a horse and carriage ride through Central Park. It was completely touristy, and as she had just told Rufus, totally clichéd, and yet, she couldn't think of anything else she'd rather be doing with Rufus. Well, she could, but she wasn't allowed to think that about an engaged man. It also didn't help her plan to stay single for a while.

Rufus helped her onto the carriage, then got in himself before answering. "See? I told you you'd love it! I figured it would be nice to just sit and relax for a while without feeling like we're waisting time doing nothing." He sat down beside her.

Lily put the blanket over their laps. "It's absolutely perfect. Thank you." She rested her head on his shoulder. So far, she was feeling very much like his wife again on this outing. In fact, it was almost like they were starting over in their relationship. She knew it was just friendship to Rufus, but it still felt like more to her, and it felt good.

"I also wanted you to remember what it was like doing something fun and childlike. I didn't come to the city until later in my life, but I know I would have thought something like this was so cool when I was a kid," Rufus explained.

"I know what you mean," Lily said, her head still on his shoulder. "I sometimes find it sad thinking of how things that are so fun when you're a kid aren't as fun and magical once you get older. Serena and Eric had to many things they loved as children. Barbies for Serena, and well, Eric too. Serena used to get mad because he'd try to get his G.I. Joes so have sex with her Barbies."

Rufus laughed.

"He finally gave up, and started making his G.I. Joes have sex with each other." Lily sighed. "I guess that should have been my first clue that he was gay."

Rufus laughed. "Seriously?"

Lily nodded. "Honest! I guess I just figured that, since he didn't have the Barbies, he was working with what he had."

Rufus laughed some more. "That's too funny!"

Lily grinned, happy to have made Rufus laugh. "Anyway, now of course they would be bored to tears with Barbies and G.I. Joes. They want clothes and jewelry, and trips instead. Not to mention actual sex. I just miss them getting excited over the little things."

"Well, I think every one's a kid at heart. I mean, I know it sounds stupid, but I'm still happy and excited to be on this carriage ride," Rufus said.

Lily nodded. "I am too—especially with you."

"Aw, Lil!" Rufus kissed the top of her head, then rested his head against hers. "Right back at ya."

Lily sighed with contentment as their guide started his informational spiel. She could get used to this.

~Begin Again~

Their carriage ride had been wonderful. The guide had taken a picture of them on both their phones, so they'd always have the memory. The guide had even let Lily feed a carrot to the horse.

Rufus had snapped a picture of her laughing happily as the horse gobbled the carrot up faster than you could say, "gone."

Rufus was still amazed at how much she took his breath away. He was in love with Lisa, yes, but Lily was absolutely stunning, and he knew that would never change—not even with old age.

After the carriage ride, Rufus had one more stop in mind for them.

Lily looked at FAO Schwarz with her eyebrows scrunched in confusion, and her arms crossed over her chest. "A toy store, Rufus? Really?"

He grinned. "I wanted to stick with our inner child theme."

"In that case, we should have eaten lunch at Chuck E. Cheese's!" Lily joked.

"That would have been so cool! We should have!" Rufus agreed.

Lily smirked. "I was kidding, Rufus."

"We're totally going there, my next pick," Rufus said.

"Yeah, you've completely lost your marbles," Lily said.

"Oh, come on! You know you're gonna love this," Rufus said to her, taking her hand, and dragging her in the store.

"We'll see!" Lily said, still not convinced.

The first place Rufus took her was to the giant floor keyboard. "I always wanted one of these ever since I saw that movie _Big_ with Tom Hanks," Rufus said. He immediately got onto the keyboard, and began playing the first part of "Heart and Soul." He was good at it too. "I learned this song on a regular keyboard as soon as I finished the movie. I seriously did not go to sleep until I had learned it. It was hard doing it without two people though. I swear the first thing I did when I moved here was come here just to finally be able to play this thing. True story!"

Lily grinned. "You never told me that before."

"And you never told me the Barbie and G.I. Joe story before," he said simply.

Lily nodded. "Fair enough."

"Come on. Play with me!" Rufus said. "I need my second person."

"I don't know how," Lily said. "You're the musician—not me."

"Aw, come on! It's easy." Rufus stopped to point out the correct keys. "Here. You can do my part. Just six keys is all you need to know. I'll do the second part since it has more keys."

Lily sighed. "Fine, but only because I know you won't take no for an answer."

Rufus nodded. "You know me too well!"

And so they began, and Lily seemed to be having fun. She was keeping up, and even laughing as she stepped on her keys, trying not to trip over Rufus.

When they finished the song, they high-fived each other, and shrieked in happiness.

A few people looked over at them like they were insane.

Lily blushed, and Rufus laughed.

"See?" Rufus asked her as he gently nudged her with his elbow. "I _told_ you it was fun."

She smiled. "All right, all right, it was." Her eyes lit up. "Now it's my turn to pick something!" She then quickly ran on ahead.

Rufus ran right behind her, trying to catch up with her. Even though she was slightly older than him, she had more energy in her than he did. He wondered how she did it!

Lily finally stopped int he doll house section. She smirked at Rufus when he caught up to her out of breath. "Are you out of breath?"

"Yes!" he said.

She laughed. "It wasn't _that_ far, Rufus. We even took the elevator."

"It was still a little run to the elevator," he said.

She smiled, then kissed his cheek, and pat his shoulder. "Poor baby!" She winked at him.

"You're into the inner child thing, well, this is mine. I always wanted one of these, and my mother got me one when I was a kid, but it wasn't nearly as elaborate as the doll houses of today. I mean, just look at these dolls! They look so real! And these doll houses are practically mansions. Growing up, I had a five room doll house with two levels. The dolls were made of cloth, and their faces were painted on. These dolls are made of plastic with realistic-looking faces, and the houses have three floors and twelve rooms! It's insane! I would have _killed_ for one of these as a child," Lily said as she lovingly picked up a blonde doll, and started stroking her hair.

Rufus grinned, and picked up a brunette male doll. He started pulling down the pants. "Do you think they make these things anatomically correct?" He wriggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively at her.

"Why are you checking a _male_ doll for that?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.

Rufus immediately stopped trying to pul the pants down. "Good point."

"I knew it! You really are gay with a secret crush on William!" Lily smiled, and clapped her hands together.

"Shut up, you sicko!" Rufus said. "I'm not the slightest bit gay. Even if I was, I'd have better taste than a jackass like William van der Woodsen." He looked at Lily and blushed. "No offense."

Lily smirked. "None taken."

"Look, here's a doll with brown hair and glasses like Lisa," Rufus said suddenly. He picked up said doll, and had the brunette male doll kiss her. Then, he showed both dolls to Lily. "What do you think? Good likenesses to Lisa and me?"

Lily smiled weakly. "Yeah, great. But I bet that doll is better endowed than you are." She nodded to the male doll. "Heck, maybe even the girl is."

Rufus stuck his tongue out at her. "You're a jerk face!"

Lily laughed. "'Jerk face'? Way to take the inner child thing to a new level!"

He grinned. "I'm going to go play with the remote control helicopters. I need to get back in the boy zone."

"I'll be there in a minute. I still want to look at the doll houses," Lily said.

"All right," Rufus said, leaving to go find the helicopters. He looked back over his shoulder, then smiled to himself when he saw Lily pushing the brunette male doll and her blonde doll together in a kiss. He wondered if she was thinking of herself and him.

He shook the thought from his head, then headed over to find the coolest helicopter he could find.

~Begin Again~

Lily knew it was silly to give the little dolls voices, and play with them. Especially when she didn't have a kid with her to use as an excuse. But she had always wanted a doll house and dolls like this, so the inner child in her made it too hard to resist. Even so, she only spent five minutes playing, then other people started to come over, so she left to find Rufus. She found him still in the flying helicopter section, flying a toy helicopter around.

"You're allowed to try that out on your own?" Lily asked.

Rufus shook his head. "No. The guy that works here said it's for employees only. They don't want people getting hurt. But then he got called over to help someone, so I grabbed it quick to try out. It's amazing!"

Lily crossed her arms over her chest, shook her head, and smiled. "Babies must play."

"Okay, Miss Make the dolls kiss," Rufus deadpanned.

Lily blushed. "You saw that?"

"Oh yeah!" Rufus said.

Before Lily could respond, Rufus accidentally flew the helicopter into the back of some teenage boy's head.

Rufus quickly dropped the remote, and ducked behind a cardboard cutout of an airplane pilot.

"Who did that?" the boy snapped. He turned to a little kid, who was a foot away from him. "Jake, you're so dead! I'm telling Dad!"

Jake, who looked to be no older than six, dropped his mouth. "But I didn't do it!"

"Then who did?" The boy nodded toward the cardboard pilot. "That pilot over there?"

Jake shrugged. "Maybe."

"Don't be a moron!" the boy snapped.

Lily felt bad for poor Jake, but quickly ran after Rufus, who was now headed to the electronics section.

"That was close!" Rufus said, once they were safely away from the remote control helicopter and airplane section. "I thought for sure that boy saw me when he nodded toward the cardboard cutout! I guess those copters _are_ dangerous."

"Maybe he _did_ see you, and was just looking for an excuse to blame his brother for something," Lily reasoned. "That poor little boy. I hope his father isn't the abusive kind."

"I doubt he'd take his sons to a giant toy store if he was," Rufus reasoned.

Lily nodded, feeling a little better. "True."

"Oo, look! A karaoke machine!" Rufus said. He grabbed a mic and, after careful consideration, chose a track, and began singing. "Here she comes now sayin' mony, mony!"

Lily covered her mouth and giggled. "Oh no you didn't!"

Rufus grinned at her, and continued to sing. "Shoot 'em down turn around, come on mony. Hey! She give me love, and I feel all right now!"

People started to come watch Rufus sing, and Lily couldn't help but giggle even more.

"Turn it in, you gotta toss and turn and feel all right. Yeah, I feel all right. I said, yeah." Rufus held the mic out to the audience, who sang-echoed back a, "Yeah!"

With every "Yeah" Rufus sang, the audience echoed back a yeah. For the final echo, Rufus held the microphone directly to Lily's lips.

"Yeah!" Lily sang. She may not have been a singer—not even close, actually—but she knew she could at least handle a "yeah."

"'Cause you make me feel!" He had the audience sing the "like a pony" part while he pranced around like a pony. "So good!"

Lily was laughing too hard to sing, "like a pony." The tears were streaming down her cheeks, and she held her stomach tight. She felt as if she just might pass out. She was able to control herself and sing along again once the next round of "yeah" echoes came up. She even managed to get the "mony, mony" echos out.

By the time the song ended, everyone clapped and cheered, Lily being the loudest of all.

Rufus hooked the microphone back onto the karaoke machine, and took a bow.

"I can't believe you just did that!" Lily said, grinning so big her cheeks were starting to hurt. She had had a blast, and all she had contributed to the song were some yeahs and monys!

Rufus grinned, and gently nudged her. "You seemed to have enjoyed it." He winked at her.

Lily nodded. "I did! But I still can't believe you did that."

Rufus shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a natural born performer. I love to perform no matter where I am."

Lily smirked.

Rufus blushed, and playfully swatted her. "You know what I mean!"

"Well, if this is the last stop, I think I'm going to get Henry one of those helicopters. He'd love it!" Lily said.

"It's getting late, and I told Lisa I'd be back for dinner, so sadly, it's the last stop," Rufus confirmed. "But I'll stay with you while you get it."

Lily smiled at him. "Okay."

Ten minutes later, they were leaving the store, Lily holding a bag carrying Henry's new remote control helicopter in it.

"You know, even after we saw how dangerous those are, you still got Henry one," Rufus said, amused.

Lily shrugged. "It's okay. I'm sure Henry's a much better pilot than you are."

"Gee, thanks," Rufus said sarcastically.

Lily giggled. "Don't worry. I'm sure Chuck and Blair won't let him use it unsupervised. They're excellent parents." She then turned serious. "About what you said earlier, about Lisa wanting you to elope..."

"What about it?" Rufus asked gently.

"I don't think you should elope. I think, if you elope first, you'll both regret it later. I think you should just wait until the wedding. It's only a little over a month away, after all. Your wedding day will be even more special if you marry when you have your wedding." Lily hoped she wasn't transparent. She really didn't want Rufus marrying Lisa as it was. Marrying her so soon would make it even worse.

Rufus shook his head. "I'm not going to elope with her. It's too weird. I'm sure she's just having premarital jitters is all. I agree with you. I think she and I will both feel better about it if we just wait until our wedding to get married. After all, like you said, it's only just over a month away. We might as well wait."

Lily sighed with relief. "Exactly!" She then kissed his cheek. "Well, I guess this is where we say goodbye since we're two separate ways. Have a Happy St. Patrick's Day if I don't see you before then. Gosh, it's going to suck this year being alone for yet another holiday."

"Well, we could get together on St. Patrick's Day for drinks if you wanted," Rufus suggested. "Lisa isn't much of a drinker, so she never goes with me to the pub on St. Patrick's Day anyway. We spend the day together, her and I, then it's the pub for me at night while she hang out at home, watching _Luck O' the Irish_. It's some little kid Disney movie that she adores for some reason. She knows it's not my kind of movie at all, so she watches it while I'm at the bar. She has her tradition, and I have mine."

Lily felt her face light up. To spend St. Patrick's Day with Rufus and not alone would be the best! "That sounds really good! I'd love to! Thank you for asking."

"I'll call you later with the time." Rufus kissed her cheek. "I really had fun today."

Lily smiled. "I did too."

"So, embracing your inner child wasn't so bad then, was it?" Rufus asked her, an eyebrow raised.

Lily shook her head and grinned. "No, it wasn't." She kissed Rufus' cheek. "Thank you for such a fun day. I'll see you Saturday."

"I'll see you Saturday," Rufus agreed with a nod and a smile.

Lily smiled back, then hailed a cab. She got in, and told the driver her address.

As the driver took her home, Lily couldn't help but smile again. Today had been amazing, and she knew hat Saturday would be just as amazing.

She sighed. She just wish Rufus wasn't already taken. It was her own fault, she knew. She had let him go, and now she was just going to have to deal with the consequences—like it or not.

~Begin Again~

Lisa ran straight to her husband, took him in her arms, and kissed him as soon as he arrived home. "So, how was your day with Lily?" she asked, trying her best to sound cheery about it.

Rufus smiled. "Good! It was really good. We had lunch at Chetty's the restaurant in that new hotel The Chapel. Then, we went to Central Park and rode the carousel. After that, we took a carriage ride together, then finished off our day at the toy store."

Lisa raised an eyebrow at him. "Whose idea was _that_?"

Rufus grinned. "Mine. I wanted it to be an 'embrace your inner child' themed day."

"In that case, you should have eaten at Chuck. E. Cheese's," Lisa quipped.

"That's what Lily said!" Rufus said with so much excitement, one would think he was a ten-year-old who had just been told by his mother that they'd be eating at Chuck E. Cheese's for dinner. "I don't know why I didn't think of that. I guess it's because I planned the restaurant part before I thought of the inner child thing. Also, I had already talked to Lily about Chetty's, so the thought to change the restaurant hadn't even crossed my mind."

For the next five minutes, Lisa only pretended to listen as Rufus raved over his day with Lily. She held back a sigh. Despite her having threatened Lily a while ago, she knew she couldn't go through with it. She wanted to, but realistically, she knew that Rufus would never give hanging out with Lily up. She was too afraid to give Rufus an ultimatum. She was too afraid of who he might pick. She was pretty sure his choice would be a certain someone who shared a name with a flower.

Something had to be done, and right now, Lisa knew that eloping was her only answer. So, when Rufus finally stopped yapping about his day with Lily, she brought it up again.

She sat down on the couch, and pat the seat beside her.

Rufus smiled at her, and sat down beside her.

She latched onto his arm, and they kissed sweetly on the lips.

"Sweetie," she began, "did you give any more thought to us eloping?"

Rufus looked at her, and his face softened. She thought he was going to say yes, and her heart fluttered with excitement. But then he spoke, and her heart dropped to her stomach. "I've been thinking, Lisa, and I really don't think we should elope. I want the day we marry to be special, and I think eloping would take away from that."

"But it wouldn't!" Lisa insisted.

Rufus held up a palm to silence her, then continued. "I think it would. Lily and I both think that you and I will regret it if we elope first, and we'll be glad if we wait until the actual wedding to get married. After all, our wedding is just a little over a month anyway. I really don't see the point in eloping."

"Wait. You talked to Lily about this? Why?" Lisa asked, trying not to sound frantic.

"I just wanted some advice from someone that's neutral about the whole situation. I'm sorry if you didn't want me telling her. I didn't know it was supposed to be a secret," Rufus said calmly.

"Eloping is usually private, Rufus," Lisa said, her arms crossed over her chest. She couldn't help being a little miffed with him. She was tired of Lily being involved in every decision he made!

"Look, I honestly didn't think you'd mind if I told Lily. And, for the record, I was already leaning toward not eloping. Lily just echoed the thoughts I already had. She didn't make me not want to elope. I was the one who decided not to. She just made me sure of my decision. Please don't be angry with me. I really am sorry. I'm a guy. Guys are stupid sometimes. They don't get things that are common sense. I know I can be the biggest idiot of them all." He grinned at her, apparently in an attempt to get her to forgive him.

She sighed, and smiled weakly, not quite ready to fully forgive him yet. "I just don't get why you had to tell Lily."

"Like I said, I'm an idiot sometimes," Rufus said.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes?"

"Hey!" Rufus said with a playful gasp.

Lisa giggled. She never could stay angry with him for long. Besides, she needed to be on good terms with him if she were going to keep him in her clutches.

"So, is all forgiven?" Rufus asked with pleading eyes.

Lisa nodded. "All is forgiven. And, if you don't want to elope, then we don't have to. Maybe it _was_ kind of a silly idea."

Rufus' expression softened."It wasn't silly. You're just nervous to be married in front of everyone is all. Don't worry. We love each other, and our opinions are the only ones that matter." Rufus took Lisa's hands in his own, and kissed them.

Lisa smiled, and kissed his hands in return. "You're right!" Though she couldn't help but thinking how much Lily's opinion meant to him as well.

"Oh, and Saturday night after you and I have our St. Patrick's Day celebration, I'm going to go to the pub with Lily. She didn't feel like spending another holiday alone, and I didn't feel like drinking alone, so I invited her to join me. Is that okay with you?" he asked.

It was _not_ okay with Lisa, but at this point, she knew she would just look like a whiny, jealous fiancé if she said no. So, she put on her best smile, and shook her head. "No, I don't mind at all! After all, it's the perfect solution to both yours and Lily's loneliness. So, why not? Right?"

Rufus grinned, and kissed her lips. "You're the best!" he said as he stroked her hair.

She smiled weakly in return.

"I'm going to go take a shower before we go out for dinner. All right?" he asked her.

Lisa nodded and smiled. "Okay."

He kissed her quickly on the lips, then disappeared to the bathroom.

Lisa sat on the couch, her arms crossed over her chest, seething as she thought about Lily turning Rufus against eloping.

~BA~

How _dare_ Lily turn Rufus against eloping with me! I just _knew_ she'd want Rufus now that she no longer wants William.

Rufus was just as bad. I don't care what he says, he let Lily make his decision for him. _Gosh_, I don't know what it is about that woman than makes all the guys go gaga! It's so annoying! Well, I wasn't about to let that little vixen take my man from me. She gave him up when she went to be with William the first time, and then again when she gave him up to be with Bart the first time, then yet _again_ when she was going to be with Bart the second time. It's been three strikes, so now she's out. She doesn't deserve Rufus. Besides, Rufus is already taken. Unlike her, I'm not just going to toss him aside. Actually, if you count choosing William the second time instead of going back to Rufus, she gave up Rufus _four_ times. I'm sure she'd be give him up again if some other sweet talking man came her way, which was exactly why William had to get her back, and this time, keep her in line. True, he wasn't an ideal choice for a man, but she had chosen him twice, so he must have _something_ she likes in him, though, what it is she likes exactly, I shall never know.

I'll admit, I was charmed by William too at first. Then, once this whole cheating thing came out, I saw him for who he really was. So, no, he wasn't an ideal pick, but I was running out of time, so frankly, he would just have to do. Oh, and that St. Patrick's Day date between Rufus and Lily? Yeah. Never gonna happen. Not if I have anything to do with it. And I assure you, I will. And I knew just what to do to stop it.

~BA~

Once Lisa heard the shower water running, she took out her cell phone, and dialed up William's number.

He picked up on the second ring. "Lisa, my Darling, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"

Lisa rolled her eyes, already annoyed. "First off, don't call me your darling. I will never be your darling. Second off, we have a problem."

William sighed. "Another one?"

Lisa sighed too, then told William everything, starting with Rufus and Lily's date, then telling him about Lily talking Rufus out of the elopement, and finally, telling him about Rufus and Lily's little St. Patrick's Day nighttime date.

William was silent even after Lisa finished explaining things to him.

"Hello, are you listening?" Lisa asked, more than annoyed now.

"I'm listening. I'm just thinking," William stated.

"Did you do anything at all to try to win her back?" Lisa asked.

"I'm biding my time. But I did sent her three dozen roses today. I never heard anything back from her about them though," William replied.

"_William_," Lisa said as if she were talking to an imbecile, "you _cheated_ on the woman. Roses aren't going to cut it! And we don't have the time to bide! Did you hear me tell you about today's date that they went on? And about Saturday's date that they have planned?"

"I heard. Obviously Saturday's date can't happen," William said calmly.

"You're damn right it can't happen! Lucky for you, I have a plan. But I'm going to need your help," Lisa said.

"What plan? Tell me about this plan of yours," William ordered.

Lisa looked around, and when she was sure that Rufus was still in the shower, and not secretly standing behind her listening, she told William of her plan.

William quietly listened to the plan, and when she was done explaining it, he spoke. "It's simple, it's easy, it's genius! I can easily get you what you need. I can get that little item to you by tomorrow. Can you meet me?"

"Yes. I can meet you on your lunch break. Can you get it by then?" Lisa asked. "I know I won't need it until Saturday, but I want to make sure I have it."

"Meet me at the hospital by my usual parking spot at twelve thirty tomorrow. I'll have what you need," William said.

Lisa heard the shower water turn off. "I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow." She hung up the phone before William could respond.

She sighed. She knew that what she was going to do was wrong, but frankly, she had no other choice.

~Begin Again~

Saturday had arrived, and it had taken Lily all day to get ready. She didn't know exactly what one wore to a pub. She liked to drink, but she certainly was not the type of woman to hang out at a pub. She knew that what she used to wear at bars when she was younger was certainly not age appropriate anymore. After debating back and forth, and trying on a good ten outfits, she finally decided upon a nice fitting pair of straight-leg dark wash Sevens jeans, her black Christian Louboutin pumps, and an emerald green cashmere sweater overtop of a white linen blouse. She kept her accessories simple with a gold chain bracelet, and a tiny gold four-leaf clover necklace. She had even gotten her nails professionally done. She had gotten a French manicure, only instead of the traditional white tips, she had the tips done in a variety of rainbow colors to represent a rainbow. Her pinkie nails were painted a sparkly gold instead of the French manicure to represent a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She just felt like getting in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day. After all, she didn't _always_ have to be prim and proper, did she? Another factor was, she knew Rufus liked her best when she let her carefree side take over. Not that she was trying to steal him from Lisa. She certainly was not. She just figured that, if she was going to be spending the evening with him, she might as well dress nice for him.

She finished dusting some gold, sparkly eyeshadow on her eyelids, then applied a coat of Sephora's Hot Voodoo to her lips. Then, once she spritzed her neck with Chanel N°5, she was all set. She grabbed her gold sequined Dolce&Gabbana clutch, and headed down the stairs.

She was just about to head to the elevators when they opened, revealing none other than her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

William walked into the apartment, a smug smirk on his face. "Hello, Lily. Happy St. Patrick's Day! You look rather lovely." He walked over to her, and sniffed her neck. "Mm, my how I've missed your Chanel N°5."

Lily pushed him away. "Why don't you go buy Cassidy a bottle then?"

"I told you, I broke it off with her," William said calmly.

"Well, then I'm sure you can find some other whore to pamper," Lily snapped.

"Lily, there is no other woman. There never has been! I made a mistake with Cassidy. Heck, I made a _huge_ mistake with Cassidy. But I promise you, Lily, there was never any other women. You are the only one my heart belongs to, and the only one my heart could ever belong to!" William walked over to her, and gently stroked her face.

Lily swatted his hand again. "Don't touch me, William! I highly doubt there hasn't been other women."

"Lily, I swear on my dead grandmother's grave there were no other women!" William promised.

Lily narrowed her eyes at him, and placed a hand on her hip. "William, you and I both know that both your grandmothers are still alive."

"Well, my Grandma van der Woodsen has one foot in Heaven." William paused to grin at what he thought was his cleverness before continuing. "Seriously, it won't be long before she dies. I mean, she is ninety-five years old, so when she dies, I'd swear on her grave. Sorry, I don't know any close family members that are dead."

Lily rolled her eyes. She could not believe how ridiculous William was sometimes. In fact, he was ridiculous most of the time."I don't have time for this, William. I'm meeting Rufus at O' Grady's, and I don't want to be late. Please leave." She pushed passed him, and hit the button on the elevator.

William was by her side in a matter of seconds. "So, does Lisa know you're going out with her fiancé tonight?" he asked.

Lily held her perfect, non-worked on nose in the air. "Yes. Anyway, not that it's any of your business, but Rufus and I are going as friends. Miss Little Goody Two-Shoes doesn't drink, and would rather stay at home watching some stupid Irish-themed old Disney movie. Rufus likes to drink, I like to drink, and neither of us wanted to be alone on a holiday, so we're going together." She stepped into the elevator.

William stepped in after her, and the doors closed in front of them. "You know, you could have just called _me_ if you were lonely."

Lily sighed. "William, get it out of your head that you and I are going to reunite. You cheated on me not once, but twice, and I'm sorry, but I just cannot, and will not forgive that!" The doors opened, and Lily stormed out, leaving William behind.

"Lily, can't we please at least talk about it? I'm willing to do anything you ask of me!" William called out, stepping off the elevator.

"It's too late for that, William. Far too late," Lily said without looking back. "Have a happy St. Patrick's Day with your redheaded whore." And with that, she left the apartment, hailed a cab, and left William standing there like the pathetic ass that he was.

~Begin Again~

Lisa bit her bottom lip, and turned the sleeping pill around in her hand as she stood by the kitchen island, a glass of green milk beside her on the island. Rufus was getting ready in the bathroom, and she was fighting her conscious.

She thought back to Tuesday morning.

_She met William at his car in the hospital parking garage, just as he had instructed._

_ "Do you have it?" she asked when he appeared._

_ "Not here," he said simply. He nodded to the car. "Get in."_

_ She did as told, and soon, they were headed off to 's._

_ Once they got there, William parked in the lot, then handed her a small, white paper bag. _

_ Lisa took the bag, and opened it up. Inside was an unmarked orangish medicine bottle. She took it out, and opened the bottle up. She then looked at William, an eyebrow raised. "Only one?"_

_ "Trust me, that's all you need. That is a highly potent sleeping pill. It will be enough to knock him out for the night, and fast," William assured her._

_ "This is safe, right?" Lisa asked, suddenly worried._

_ "Relax. It's not going to kill him. He'll just have a nice long sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed, like he has just had the best sleep of his life." William smirked. "Which he will have had."_

_ "I just don't want this to go bad. I swear, if something were to go wrong, and it killed, him, I—I couldn't live with myself!" Lisa said, tears already welling up in her eyes._

_ William rolled his eyes. "Lisa, he'll be fine. As much as I'd love to have him out of the picture, I am not a killer. I'm a lot of things, but a killer is not one of them. There is no way he can die from one sleeping pill. But, just to be on the safe side, make sure he doesn't take it with alcohol in his system."_

Lisa was nervous. She knew what William had said, but she still worried. Then she had to wonder. Was all of this worth it just to keep Rufus away from Lily for the night? I mean, it would cause friction between them temporarily, but it wouldn't have a long-term effect. Actually, the only thing it would do is take away a potentially romantic date between Rufus and Lily, and give William a night to try to win Lily back. Or at least make her less angry with him.

Lisa looked around, and when she was sure Rufus was't out of the bathroom yet, she quickly opened up the capsule, emptied it into the cup of green milk, and stirred the milk. Then, she put the spoon in the dishwasher, and the empty capsule pieces in the bottom of the trash bin.

She then poured herself a glass of green milk too, figuring it would be less suspicious if she drank with him.

Rufus came into the kitchen then, smelling of Old Spice. "How do I look?" he asked, twirling around to show her his new attire.

Lisa grinned. He was wearing a medium-wash pair of bootleg blue jeans over his brown Sorel boots. He wore an open green and white plaid shirt over a green Kiss Me I'm Irish shirt that had an orange-bearded leprechaun puckering up. She shook her head. Only Rufus would wear something so unstylish in NYC. That was what she loved about him though. He didn't care what the upper east side snobs thought of him. He really was a down to earth, Brooklyn guy. "It's cute, but I still like your 'Stay away from me gold!' shirt you wore today," she said with a grin. Earlier, he had worn the same outfit only with a green teeshirt underneath the plaid one that had a sassy looking leprechaun pointing at thew viewer with the words of warning written in shiny gold letters above a big pot of gold.

Rufus shrugged. "I have two St. Patrick's Day shirts. I didn't want to show partiality." He grinned and winked at her.

"Of course not! After all, you wouldn't want either of the shirts feeling bad," Lisa teased with a smile and a wink of her own.

Rufus laughed, then kissed her cheek. "I really had fun today, did you?"

Lisa nodded. "The most fun time ever!"

They had started off the day by eating green eggs and ham. Their favorite diner was serving the green-dyed food in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Then, they went to a St. Patrick's Day parade in a small town about an hour and a half away. They had had a blast! They even bought tall green leprechaun hats and shamrock-shaped sunglasses just to be dorks. They had someone take a picture of them in their attire as they shouted, "Erin go Bragh!"

After that, they stopped at cute little restaurant that was small and quaint, but had the most delicious corned beef and cabbage they had ever had.

After that, they went to a theater that was playing the old Irish-themed movie _Far and Away_ in honor of the holiday.

After that, they had gone home and made love, then they were hungry, so Lisa made them some Irish stew and soda bread.

Rufus had then gone to get changed, and that was when Lisa prepared Rufus' little sleeping cocktail with the green, mint-flavored milk he had brought home from the grocery store after work the day before.

Rufus grinned, and kissed her lips. "I'm glad you had fun. I did too. Especially the making love park." He winked at her and clicked his tongue.

Lisa blushed. "I fixed you some green milk to have before you go flooding your system with alcohol." She handed him the sleeping pill-laced glass, and then picked up her non-tainted milk.

"Aw, thanks, Sweetheart!" Rufus took the glass from her, and held his glass out to hers in a toast. "To the wonderful time we had we had today. Happy St. Patrick's Day!"

Lisa smiled, and toasted her glass with his, suddenly feeling guilty. "To the wonderful time we had today. Happy St. Patrick's Day!" She knew she should stop him from drinking it. She should tell him it smelled funny or something. But she didn't. Instead, she drank down her milk while she watched him drink his sleeping pill-laced green milk down in one long gulp.

~Begin Again~

William of course already knew that Rufus and Lily had chosen to go to O'Grady's. Lisa had told him. Even so, it was nice to get the conformation from Lily.

So, he simply waited for Lily's cab to be gone from sight, then he got into his car, and drove himself to O'Grady's.

He parked his car, then headed into the Irish pub.

He scanned the room, and it didn't take long to find Lily sitting in a little booth in the corner, skimming through her iphone.

He smirked, and walked over to her table. "So, what's a beautiful lady like you doing in an Irish pub like this?" he asked as he took a seat in front of her.

Lily looked up at him, and rolled her eyes. "What are you, stalking me now?"

William shrugged. "Can't a man get a drink in an Irish pub on St. Patrick's Day? I like my green beer as much as the next guy." He winked at her.

Lily looked him in the eyes, her eyes cold. "This is a big city, William. This isn't the only Irish pub in the city I'm sure."

"Yes, but none of them have as beautiful women as you!" William said smoothly.

Lily shook her head, and went back to typing something on her iphone. "You would know."

"Lily, come on. Can't we at least be civil to each other?" William asked.

Lily looked up at him. "You can be civil to me since I did nothing wrong. However, don't count on me being civil to you. You're nothing but a two-timing, cheating pig. Now, if you'll please leave, I'd appreciate it. Or, if you must stay, at least move to the bar, or somewhere that is not this table, or anywhere near it for that matter." She turned her attention back to her iphone.

"Oh yes, Heaven forbid I sit in Rufus' seat!" William said with a smirk.

Lily narrowed her eyes at him. "If you don't leave, he'll make you."

"Oo, I'm shaking in my boots!" William teased, grinning brightly. "I'm not afraid of Rufus Humphrey, Lily."

Lily sighed, and looked at him again, sounding impatient now. "William, don't make me get the bartender to kick you out."

William held up his hands in defense. "Relax! As soon as Rufus arrives, I'll leave, I swear."

Lily let out a cry of frustration. "Why must you sit with me? We're never, _ever_ getting back together!"

William chuckled.

"What?" Lily snapped, her eyes narrowed at him. "I mean it!"

William shook his head, and held up a hand. "No, it's not that. You just sound like that old Taylor Swift song."

Lily looked at him blankly.

"What? You've never heard it before?" William asked in surprise.

"I don't listen to Taylor Swift," Lily said simply.

"Well, surely you've heard it before," William said. He then sang a line of the song. "We-ee, are never, ever, getting back together!"

Lily shook her head, her eyes on her screen of her iphone, and her thumbs skimming over the letters. William knew she was no doubt texting Rufus, wondering where he was. "Never heard of it," she said. "But that Taylor chick seems to be a smart girl if she wrote that."

William chuckled to himself. He loved Lily's spunk! It only made him want her more. "So, can I stay?" he asked.

Lily sighed, then answered him without looking up. "It doesn't seem like I have a choice. But once Rufus is here, you better leave, or I'll kick you out on your ass myself."

William grinned; proud of himself. She was letting him stay. He knew she secretly loved that he was there. There was no doubt about it, he'd win her over by the end of the night. He was sure of it! And then, he'd never let her go.

~Begin Again~

As Lisa stood watching Rufus sleep on the bed, she began to feel more and more guilty. William had been right. That sleeping pill was not only potent, but it was extremely fast working. It had only taken five minutes for Rufus to be sound asleep.

She thought back to when it happened, and bit her bottom lip.

_Rufus let out a satisfied, "Ah!" and put down his now empty glass. "Well, I suppose I should be going now." He kissed her lips. "Enjoy your evening. Don't feel you have to wait up for me. You're welcome to if you want, but if you get tired, I'll understand. I'll try not to be _too_ late."_

_ Lisa panicked a little. She couldn't let him leave. Who knew when the pill would kick in? "Before you go, can you please start my movie for me?" she asked. "Netflix always confuses me. I can never get it to work for me."_

_ Rufus smiled at her, and stroked her hair. Lisa knew he loved feeling needed, and therefore loved doing it for her. "Sure."_

_ He walked over to the television, and turned it as well as the cable box on. He then pulled up Netflix, found _Luck O' the Irish_, and got it set up._

_ He handed Lisa the remote. "Now, whenever you're ready to watch it, just press play, and you're good to go."_

_ Lisa kissed him sweetly on the lips, and set the remote down on the couch. "Thank you."_

_ Rufus yawned. "All right, well, I'll see you either tonight or tomorrow. Enjoy your movie!" He kissed her once more on the lips._

_ Lisa kissed him back and smiled. "Thank you. Enjoy your green beer."_

_ "You know I will!" he said._

_ Lisa giggled._

_ Rufus started to talk toward the door._

_ Lisa thought fast, and screamed, jumping up onto the couch._

_ Rufus turned around. "What?"_

_ "I thought I just saw a mouse!" Lisa cried. Of course, she had seen no such thing._

_ "What? We don't have mice in here. We're on the third floor anyway. How would there be a mouse?" Rufus asked._

_ Lisa shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is I saw one. At least, I think I did."_

_ "Where?" Rufus asked, walking over. He stumbled a bit, and yawned._

_ "Under the couch," Lisa said._

_ Rufus sighed, then got down on his knees. "I'm getting too old for this," he grumbled. He looked underneath the couch. "There's nothing but dust balls down here. You probably saw one blow under the couch."_

_ "Yeah, that's probably it," Lisa agreed._

_ Rufus stood back up, then yawned again. "Gosh, I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm suddenly so tired."_

_ "Why don't you text Lily to tell her you'll be a little late, then take a half hour power nap?" Lisa suggested._

_ Rufus shook his head. "She'd probably already left by now. I don't want to make her sit there in a pub all alone." He yawned again._

_ "Well, at least take a five minute nap," Lisa suggested._

_ Rufus yawned again. "Maybe I should." He headed into the bedroom, and Lisa silently cheered._

_ Lisa followed him into the bedroom, and smiled when she saw him lying on the bed, his eyes already closed. "Just five minutes. Wake me," he said._

_ "I will." Lisa pulled the covers over him, feeling half elated, and half guilty._

Lisa sighed. Well, he was sleeping now. She knew the pill was so strong, trying to wake him wouldn't do any good anyway, so she might as well let him sleep through the night.

Rufus' phone bleeped then.

Lisa quickly scanned around the room for it, and saw it resting on her pillow beside him. Rufus must have set it there before he napped, she knew.

She quickly grabbed the phone, and left the room, though she knew he was too dead to the world to hear it bleep or see her grab it.

She slid the arrow to the right with her thumb, then checked to see who had texted him, though she knew who it was. Of course, it was Lily.

_ I'm here, and you're not. Are you okay? William followed me here. I was stupid enough to tell him where we'd be. I'll explain when you get here. Bottom line, I need you to get rid of him. He's currently sitting in your seat. Please Hurry!_

Lisa grinned. Good! William was doing his part of the plan. _Now, he had better keep it up_! she thought.

Ten minutes later, Rufus' phone beeped again.

Lisa looked at the text, and smiled again.

_Rufus, where are you? Why are you so late? You _are_ still coming, aren't you? Text me back!_

"Sorry, Lily, but that won't be happening," Lisa said, shaking her head.

Ten more minutes, and Rufus' phone rang.

Lisa looked at the Caller ID. It was of course Lily.

Lisa waited until the phone alerted her of a voice message, then she called up voicemail. She knew Rufus' password, for it was her birthday.

_Rufus, where the hell are you? I don't know why you're not returning my texts, but if you're not coming, I'd at least like you to have the courtesy to let me know. Call or text me, please!"_

Lisa deleted the voicemail, and then deleted the missed call from the call log.

She shook her head. "Sorry, Lily, but Rufus is _my_ man now. You're just going to have to find someone else to be with. You had your chance with Rufus, and you blew it, so you're never getting another chance with him again!" Lisa was so angry, she was shaking. She was squeezing the phone so hard her hand ached. She cheeks burned.

The phone buzzed again, and she cried out in frustration. "Ah! Doesn't that woman ever give up? _Gosh_!" She looked at the phone, and smirked.

_Rufus, I really thought we were finally starting to build our friendship up again, but you ignoring me like this isn't helping things. You know what? Forget it.  
Crappy St. Patrick's Day! And yes, you read that right! I hope you have one._

Lisa giggled. "Well, Lily, that's clever. I'll give you that one. But now I have a movie I want to see, and I really can't be bothered with your stupid texts or calls." She then deleted all of Lily's messages, turned off Rufus' phone, tossed it aside on the couch, then went to make some popcorn and soda to have during her movie.

She suddenly no longer felt guilty. Which was good, because she had never found guilt that fun of an emotion.

~Begin Again~

"I'm going to order a green beer. I'm tired of waiting. Would you like one?" William asked Lily, who was starting to look positively crushed.

Lily sighed. "I might as well. It's obvious he isn't coming."

"I'm sorry. You know, I would never stand you up," William said to her, placing his hand over hers from across the table.

Lily quickly pulled her hand away from him. "No, you just prefer to break plans with me so you that can cheat on me instead."

William chose to ignore that comment. "I'll be right back with those drinks," he said before heading to the bar. He really wished Lily would get over the cheating thing already. I mean, honestly, how many times did he have to apologize?

He took a seat at the bar, and motioned the bartender over. "I'll have four green beers please."

The bartender raised an eyebrow at him.

"Don't worry, only two are for me. My wife over there will have the other two." He nodded toward the table Lily was sitting at. She was currently looking at her phone. Again. No doubt wondering if Rufus had texted her back yet.

"Coming right up!" The bartender nodded at Lily. "She's a beauty!"

"Indeed she is," William said, licking his lips was he watched Lily stare at her phone.

"Here you go!" the bartender said, sliding four green beers over to William.

"Thanks!" William slapped the beer and tip money down, then grabbed two beers in each hand, and headed back to the table.

He sat down, and pushed two of the beers over to Lily. "Here you go!"

Lily set her phone down, and looked at her two mugs of green beer. She then raised an eyebrow at William. "Two?"

William shrugged. "Why not? It's a drinking holiday. Besides, don't you need them after Rufus stood you up?"

Lily looked like she was going to protest, then sighed instead. "Good point!" She took one of the mugs, and chugged half of it down in one gulp.

"Woah! Little Miss Prim and Proper isn't so prim and proper after all!" William said, impressed.

Lily set the mug down, and licked her lips. "Like you said, it's a drinking holiday, and Rufus stood me up. I need it."

"Maybe something came up," William said, taking a long sip of his green beer to hide his smile.

Lily shook her head. "He still could have called or texted me. I will not tolerate rudeness. I mean, how long does it take to call or text someone?"

"A minute at best. Less if you keep it short and simple," William answered.

Lily nodded. "Exactly!"

They drank the rest of their green beers without talking. They just enjoyed the atmosphere of the pub, and the patrons who were vocally enjoying St. Patrick's Day.

William was glad. Lily may not have been overly talkative yet, but at least her snarky comments to him had stopped. He was pretty confidant that, once he got the second beer in her, she would lighten up, and finally enjoy St. Patrick's Day and, more importantly, his company.

~Begin Again~

Lily sang along some to some Irish jig with William, and the rest of the drunken patrons of O'Grady's. She wasn't quite sure how she knew the lyrics. Probably because everyone was singing it over and over. Also, there weren't that many lines in the song. At least, she didn't think there was. Maybe everyone was just too drunk to remember the rest of the song so, they continued to sing the same four lines over and over.

Anyway, she didn't know if it was the two and a half mugs of green beer in her or what, but she was actually having a fun time with William. He was charming, and incredibly funny. She couldn't remember the last time he made her laugh so hard, she nearly peed.

In fact, things seemed like they were before she had found out he cheated. There were other beautiful women in the bar, but he hadn't even looked at them. Not even the busty redhead that looked like she was dressed more for a hooker convention than a night at the pub.

Lily wondered if William really _did_ still love her.

The song ended, and everyone toasted their green beers with their buddies next to them.

Lily toasted her glass with William as they cheered with the others. Then, they downed the rest of their third glass together.

"Mm, me likes this green beer, but me thinks it's getting late!" William said in his best leprechaun accent. He grinned.

Lily giggled, then burped. Then, she giggled some more.

William laughed too.

"This beer is good, isn't it? It's not too often I have beer. I'll have to start drinking me some more beer!" She tried a leprechaun accent, but it was so bad.

She and William burst into giggles again.

"All right, all right. Let's go home," William said.

Lily stood, her legs were a little wobbly, but she still had her senses. At least, most of them. "You mean _I'm_ going to go to _my_ place. You can go to wherever it is you're staying."

"Let me take you home at least," William said, standing up.

"I'm fine," Lily assured him.

"Do you remember what happened when you were alone Valentine's Day night, and that guy tried to attack you?" William asked.

Lily groaned. "Don't remind me."

"Well, you're drunk, so it is even more dangerous for you to be going home on your own—even in a cab." William placed his hands over her shoulders.

Lily wanted to push him away, but she knew he was right. She was not eager for a replay of Valentine's Day. Especially when Rufus certainly wouldn't be around to save her this time. "All right, fine. But once I'm home, you go home too."

William nodded. "It's a deal."

So, they headed outside, and over to William's car.

William unlocked the doors, then helped Lily into the passenger's side.

"Wait. Are you okay to drive?" Lily asked with concern. She knew this situation could be dangerous too.

"Don't worry. I have an extremely high and unfortunate tolerance for alcohol. It takes a lot more than three mugs of green beer to get me buzzed," William said, shutting the door, then heading over to the other side, and getting in himself. He shut his door, then buckled up.

Lily had already buckled herself up.

They then headed back to her place.

They talked and laughed on the way back, and Lily started feeling warm feelings toward William again. He had been right what he said earlier. He had never bailed on her. If something came up, or he was going to be late, he always called her. True, she had been right too about the cheating, but at least he called. Rufus hadn't called _or_ texted no matter how many messages she had left him.

Ten minutes later, they were pulling into the parking lot of Lily's apartment.

William then helped Lily out of the car, locked the doors, and walked her in. He took her up the elevator, and entered the apartment with her.

He then turned her to face him. "I had a really fun time tonight, Lily. In fact, I think it was the best St. Patrick's Day ever."

Lily smiled. "I had fun too, and I agree with you. It really was the best St. Patrick's Day ever."

William gently stroked her hair.

Lily knew she should stop him, but she didn't feel like it. When he leaned into kiss her, she knew she _really_ should stop him. But she didn't want to then either.

They then kissed on the lips, soft at first, then more intense.

"Lily," William moaned, his hands in her hair on each side of her head. He kissed her again, then started to pick her up.

Lily kissed him back, and let him pick her up. But, as he carried her to the bedroom, she broke a kiss, and put a hand on his chest. "William, no. I'm not ready for this. I'm not even sure I forgive you yet. You really hurt me."

William stopped, and looked into her eyes. "I know I did, and I can't even find the words to express how sorry I am for it. But I can promise you to never, _ever_ cheat on you again, and to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, and making sure that you're _never_ hurt again—not by me, not by Rufus, not by _anyone_!"

Lily smiled, and gently stroked his cheek. "I wish I could believe that a hundred percent."

"But you can!" William assured her.

Lily continued to stroke his cheek. "I just need some time to think, okay? It's a big decision to make."

William nodded. "I understand." He gently set her back down. "You do still love me thought, don't you?"

Lily nodded. "Of course I do! I can't just turn my feelings off like a light switch, no matter how much I may want to."

William kissed her forehead, and held both of her hands in his own. "I love you too. Always. I always have, and I always will."

Lily's eyes lowered, and did William's, and they kissed on the lips again.

"Goodnight, William," Lily said, her head resting against his. "Thanks for taking me home."

"Goodnight, Lily." He kissed her head. "Thanks for letting me spend the evening with you."

He then headed down the stairs, and moments later, left in the elevator.

Lily sighed. She couldn't make a decision tonight. Not when she was partially drunk. Anyway, even though she was drunk, she wasn't stupid. He had fooled her twice already, so it was shame on her as it was. She could only imagine the shame if he fooled her _three_ times. So, this time, she wasn't going to go back into the relationship blindly. Heck, she still didn't know if she was going to go back into it at all. The only thing she knew was that there was someone she had to talk to first. Then and only then would she be able to make her decision. But it was all going to have to wait until tomorrow, for tonight, all she wanted to do now was go to the bathroom, then wash her face, and get ready for bed. Then, she would lie in bed, and try to get some sleep. And, if she could before sleep took her, she would try to think of a good reason Rufus hadn't returned her calls. Surely, there had to be a good excuse. If not, it meant he was purposely ignoring her, and he had purposely stood her up. And if that was the case, well, she was too tired to even think it. Nor was her heart ready to hear it.

~Begin Again~

William left the apartment, whistling "Oh, Danny Boy," and hopped into his car.

He smiled as he drove himself to his hotel. This night had gone even better than he had hoped! Now, he had no doubt that Lily would be his again—and soon at that. Happy. St. Patrick's Day indeed.

~Begin Again~

Lisa had halfway enjoyed her movie. The other half of her was too consumed with guilt to enjoy much of anything.

When the movie was over, she sighed, then turned off the television.

Well, she figured, at least Rufus and Lily hadn't spend the evening together, and William and Lily had. It also made her feel good that Lily was angry with Rufus. However, it wasn't over yet. Lisa knew there were still something she had to take care of. Like coming up with an excuse for not waking him, and for not calling Lily to cancel for him.

She headed to the bedroom, got dressed and ready for bed, then slipped into bed next to Rufus.

She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, trying her best not to let the guilt consume her again.

She kissed his cheek, then sighed, and rolled over on her side, her back toward his. She closed her eyes, then plotted in her head what she was going to say tomorrow. She just hoped she could push her nerves aside long enough to chose something good and believable to say to him. If not, well, it certainly wouldn't be a top o' the morning for her!


	14. Dial H for History

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 14: Dial H for History**_

Rufus woke up feeling half refreshed, half groggy. He rubbed his forehead, then covered his eyes, trying his best to block out the harsh sunlight that was searing his eyeballs. He groaned. The weird thing was, he had no recollection of falling asleep the night before. Heck, he had no recollection of hanging out at the pub with Lily either for that matter. Had he really had _that_ much to drink? He had planned on having a couple green beers, but, since Lily was there, he hadn't planned on getting smashed.

Lisa came into the room then, a cheery smile on her face. "Good morning, Sweetie!" She sat down on the bed next to him, and kissed his cheek. "How are you feeling? Nice and refreshed?"

Rufus looked at her. "Did I get drunk last night?"

Lisa giggled. "No, Silly! You were just so tired, you went to bed early, and slept through the night."

Rufus was quiet as he tried to recall the night before. Then he remembered, suddenly feeling tired, and wanting to take a five-minute nap before leaving to meet Lily. "Oh my gosh! Lily! Did I not meet her?"

Lisa shook her head. "I tried to wake you, but you were so out of it. You mumbled something about having called her, and that you weren't going to go. So, I just let you sleep."

Rufus sighed, and rubbed his face again. "Wow. I don't remember a lick of that. I wonder why I was suddenly so tired? I swear, I was fine one moment, then the next, it just hit me like a ton of bricks. I didn't even drink anything alcoholic." He saw his phone on the nightstand beside him, and he turned it on.

"Well, we did have a pretty exhausting day with all that driving around." Lisa smiled, and moved closer to him, her voice lowering. "Then there was all that lovemaking. It's been known to tire you out before." She grinned.

"But _you_ weren't tired," Rufus said, not even managing to smile. This whole situation was just odd to him. This kind of thing _never_ happened to him. He looked to see if Lily had called or texted him, but she hadn't. He sighed, then set the phone back down on the nightstand.

Lisa shrugged. "I had an energy drink earlier. Maybe that had something to do with it. I never was one to tire easily anyway."

Rufus sighed, and sat up in bed. "I just feel so bad for Lily. She didn't want to be alone on St. Patrick's Day, then what do I do? I fall asleep and let her be alone on St. Patrick's Day."

Lisa placed a hand over his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure she understood. You can't help when you get tired. You had a long day. Besides, you've been working a lot lately. You really _should_ hire someone to help you."

"I'll think about it," Rufus said as he climbed out of bed. He quickly sat back down, and grabbed his head.

"What's wrong?" Lisa asked, both looking and sounding concerned.

"I sat up too fast I guess. I felt a little dizzy," Rufus answered.

"Are you okay? Should I take you to the doctor?" Lisa asked.

Rufus shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I think I just need a shower, then some food in my system." He stood up again, this time slower, and was fine.

"All right. I'll go cook you some breakfast while you're in the shower," Lisa said.

Rufus walked around the bed to her side. He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her cheek. "Thank you." He then headed to the bathroom. He couldn't even remember calling Lily last night. This whole situation was just weird.

He sighed. He'd call Lily later, and see what he had said to her. He hoped it was nothing embarrassing, for apparently, being overly tired gave him the same symptoms of being drunk!

~Begin Again~

Lily couldn't believe she was doing this. Not in a million years did she ever think she'd be going to Ivy Dickens for anything, yet here she was.

Lily hadn't seen William that morning, but he had another bunch or roses sent to her. This time it was five dozen. Now, the whole house smelled sickeningly sweet. She'd have to figure out what to do with all those roses later. But, right now, she had something much more important to take care of.

After she had eaten her bagel with fat-free cream cheese, and after she had drank her orange juice and morning coffee, she had showered, and gotten ready for the day. Now, she was outside of Ivy's doorstep, working up the courage to knock. She hated Ivy. In fact, there were very few people she liked less. But this had to be done. So, after taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, she knocked on the door.

After waiting a moment and not hearing a response, she knocked again.

She heard Ivy let out a cry of frustration from the other side of the door. "I'm coming! Just give me a minute. It's too damned early to be knocking on my door."

Lily smirked to herself.

A moment later, Ivy yanked the door open. "What the hell are you doing here?" Ivy looked tired. Her eyes were droopy, and her hair was disheveled. She was wearing nothing but a pair of Victoria's Secret grey shorts, and a matching tank top that had the Victoria's Secret trademark logo on the front.

"So nice to see you too, Ivy. Did I wake you?" Lily asked.

Ivy nodded. "Yes, you did."

"Good!" Lily pushed past her into the apartment.

"Um, excuse me, but I don't remember inviting you in!" Ivy snapped, looking over her shoulder at Lily. "Get out!" She pointed out the door.

"Don't worry. This will only take a minute. Trust me, I don't want to be here anymore than you want me to be here." Lily sat down on the plush, black leather recliner next to the couch.

Ivy sighed, then rolled her eyes, and shut the door behind her. She locked it, then turned to face Lily, her arms crossed over her chest. "Then why are you here?"

"Because I need answers. And I want you to be honest with me," Lily said simply.

Ivy walked over to her, and sat down on the black leather arm of the couch, facing Lily. "Answers about what?" Her arms were still crossed over her chest.

"About William. I remember when William and I first started reconnecting, you claimed that he was sleeping with you. Is that true?" Lily asked.

Ivy smirked. She raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are you and William having a little trouble in paradise?"

Lily rolled her eyes. She hated this. She hated begging Ivy for information, but it had to be done. Aside from William, whom she was not holding her breath over him coming clean, Ivy was the only one who could help her. "He cheated on me with some redhead, and I want to know if there has been other women."

Ivy grinned. "I bet she was a whole lot prettier than you. A lot younger too."

Lily sighed. "Were you really sleeping with him or not?"

Ivy smirked. "And why should I help you? Huh? What's in it for me?"

Lily held back her smart comment about Ivy never doing something unless there was something in it for her. She knew that wouldn't get her answers. So, instead, she tried the softer, gentler approach. "Look, Ivy, neither of us will ever be the other's biggest fan. I think we both know that."

"_That's_ the understatement of the past decade," Ivy said.

"However, we're both women, and, as women, we have the duty to protect each other from scum of the earth men. If a man is cheating on a woman, that woman deserves to know, no matter _who_ she is," Lily stated.

Ivy laughed. "Oh, please! If I was being cheated on, and you found out about it, you'd be the first one cheering the guy on!"

Lily shook her head. "The old me, maybe. But, now that I've been cheated on, it makes me see things in an entirely different light. No woman deserves to be cheated on—not even you." Lily was surprised to feel sincerity in her own words.

Ivy's expression softened. "I tried to tell you before that he and I were together, but you didn't want to hear it. You chose to believe his lies so that you could get back together with him. You stole him from me."

"I was stupid to not believe you. But, because of your and my issues, which I'm not going to get into again, I didn't believe you. I was stupid enough to fall for William again, and I didn't want to hear anything that would put a dent in the happy life I wanted. I was an idiot, I admit it." It hurt Lily to say those words, but she knew they were true, which hurt even worse.

Ivy sighed. "I guess I can understand why you didn't want to believe me."

"So, it was true? You and William had a relationship going on?" Lily asked.

Ivy nodded. "The whole time I was with Rufus, I was just using him. I was never in love with him. While I was with Rufus, I was secretly sleeping with William because I was in love with him. Lord only nows _why_ I was in love with him. Anyway, as for Rufus, I was only with Rufus to hurt you."

Lily nodded. "I had a feeling. Well, about the you not really loving Rufus, and just wanting to get back at me part."

Ivy sighed. "So, yes. William and I were in love. We were indeed sleeping together, so I wouldn't trust that this Cassidy person is the only woman. He's a liar and a manipulator. You have no idea."

Lily stood up. "Oh, I have a pretty good idea." Lily headed for the door, then stopped, and turned to face Ivy. "Ivy, thank you for helping me. You didn't have to, but you did anyway. I still don't think that you and I will ever be the best of friends, but I do detest you a little less." She smiled weakly. "I still don't think I can ever get over your lying about being my niece, but I know you took excellent care of my mother before she died, so I thank you for that. I also apologize for being harsher on you than I should have been. There. That's the best you're gonna get out of me. Ever." She smiled weakly.

Ivy smiled weakly as well. "And I never should have lied to you for money. Also, you were right. No woman deserves to be cheated on. Not even you, and that is why I told you the truth. And, for the record, I may not be family, but when I was pretending to be family, I honestly felt like I was."

Lily nodded, but didn't say a word. She just turned to leave.

"Lily, wait!" Ivy called out.

Lily stopped. "What is it?"

Ivy sighed. "There's something else you should know about William. Something I really think you need to know."

Lily turned to face her, and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What is it?"

Ivy sighed. "You may want to sit down."

Lily didn't like the sound of that.

~Begin Again~

Rufus was thinking about what he wanted to do for lunch, when the bell rang, indicating someone had just entered the gallery. He looked up, and was happy to see Lily standing there. "Hey, Lil!"

Lily narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't 'hey, Lil' me."

Rufus was confused to say the least. "Did I do something to upset you?"

"Gee, Rufus, whatever could you have done to upset me? I mean, so you stood me up, then ignored all my texts to you as well as my ignored my voicemail. That's no reason for me to be angry with you!" Lily said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Wait. Lisa told me that I called you and told you I couldn't be there because I was too tired." Rufus was _really_ confused now.

Lily held her head high. "I got no such call! You were too tired? What, so you didn't want to go, so you and Lisa thought up an excuse together?"

"What? No! I was all set to go out with you, then I suddenly got _so_ tired. Lisa suggested I take a nap, and I wasn't going to. But then it got to the point where I could barely keep myself standing. I went to take a five minute nap, hoping that would cure it, but I ended up sleeping right through until morning. Lisa told me I mumbled something about having called you to cancel before I went to sleep. I didn't call you?" Rufus wasn't understanding any of this at all.

Lily shook her head. "Obviously not. I texted you several times, and even left you a voicemail. You didn't get any of my messages?"

"Obviously not," Rufus said, taking her line. "Lil, I wouldn't have ignored you. You know me better than that. And I would _certainly_ never stand you up. Not intentionally."

Lily's expression softened. "Why didn't you check your phone?"

Rufus nodded. "I did! I found my phone on the nightstand by my bed. I must have placed it there before I fell asleep. I honestly don't remember anything before I fell asleep, but I do know that I checked for messages when I woke up, and there were none."

Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, like I said, I texted you quite a few times, and left you a voice message. I don't know why you didn't get them."

"I'll have to take my phone into the genius bar. Something must be wrong with it," Rufus stated.

"Either that, or they got intercepted," Lily said, her tone accusatory.

Rufus shot her a look. "What do you mean? Intercepted by whom?"

Lily shot him a look right back. "Who do you think? Lisa of course. It _had_ to be her. I'm assuming she was the only one there with you. Plus, she said you said you called me to cancel, which clearly, you didn't."

"Lil, don't start hating on Lisa again. I thought you were past that." Rufus was doing his best to keep his calm, but Lily was starting to anger him now.

Lily shrugged, her arms across her chest. "I'm just saying, it's possible. More than possible in fact. You know, she feels threatened by me. That first Monday you and I spent together, I ran into Lisa on the way home. Or, rather, _she_ ran into _me_. She flat out told me to back off; to not even _think_ about getting romantic with you. Otherwise, she'd turn you against me, and tell you she didn't want you hanging out with me anymore."

Rufus didn't believe that for a second. "Lily, stop lying. Lisa would never do something like that!"

"Excuse me, Rufus, but I am not lying. I may not be Lisa's biggest fan, but I wouldn't lie to you about her, just like you wouldn't lie to me about William." Lily looked hurt.

Rufus sighed, not feeling as angry. "Well, I'm sure she just got a little jealous. I mean, you and I used to be married, and we had a day together. A good day, and we plan on getting together every week. Any woman is bound to get jealous over their future husband hanging out with, and having a good time with his ex-wife. Don't worry, I'll talk to her, and assure her that she has nothing to worry about."

"Rufus, how did you feel when you were tired? Were you fine one second, then too tired to even think the next? Like, out of the blue?" Lily asked suddenly.

Rufus nodded. "Exactly! I was perfectly awake one moment, then just like that, I started to get tired, and I became increasingly tired by the minute until finally, I simply couldn't function. There was no way I could have gone without sleeping."

"And, how did you feel when you woke up this morning?" Lily asked next.

Rufus scrunched his eyebrows, wondering why the sudden third degree. "Well, I felt a little disoriented. I couldn't remember having fallen asleep. On the other hand, I felt refreshed; like I had just had the best sleep of my life."

"And, before you got tired, did you drink anything?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised, and her arms still crossed over her chest.

Rufus nodded. "Yea, Lisa fixed us both a glass of green milk to celebrate the holiday."

"She drugged you," Lily said simply. "That's how she did it. She drugged you, then deleted my messages, and lied and said you called me. It's brilliant, really."

Rufus crossed his own arms over his chest. "Excuse me?"

"Last year, I went through this period where I was having insomnia. William prescribed me some sleeping pills. He said they were the best there were to offer. They were fast acting, and, like you, I was fine one moment—wide awake—then, I started to feel a little tired, and within moments, I couldn't even _stand_, I was so tired. They'd always knock me out for a good twelve hours straight, and I'd end up waking up in the morning not remembering even falling asleep, and being half groggy, half refreshed—just like you." Lily gave him a look as if to say, _See?_ "They're potent. One pill per night is all it takes to put you out."

Rufus shook his head. "No. Lisa wouldn't drug me. That is _so_ not her. It's just not her personality."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Because, she seemed pretty desperate to keep you when she threatened me."

Rufus glared at Lily. "I said she wouldn't do that, Lily, all right? I know she wouldn't. It's not in her to do such a thing."

Lily sighed. "You'd be surprised what a person can find themselves capable of doing when they're desperate enough."

"Well, Lisa didn't drug me, so stop it!" Rufus snapped.

Lily sighed. "Fine. I have a more pressing issue on my hands right now anyway."

Rufus was curious now. "What is it?" he asked, still a little miffed that she had accused Lisa of such a thing. The nerve of her!

Lily sighed, then told him all about her date with William the night before.

Rufus listened, feeling his anger well up inside of him. That sleaze! Of _course_ William would swoop in and try to win Lily back. He should have known.

Lily then told him about the end of the night, and Rufus got even angrier. "You kissed that slime ball? Are you insane? Maybe _you're_ the one who was drugged!"

Lily sighed, and shook her head, her arms still crossed over her chest. "Sadly, I don't have that excuse. I'll call it a momentary laps in sanity. And, maybe the three mugs of green beer I had. Anyway, I knew I couldn't go back to him blindly, so I went over to Ivy's and had a little talk with her."

"Ivy's?" Rufus asked in surprise and cynicalness. "What in hell did yo go to her place for?"

Lily sighed. "Well, when I first started talking with William again five years ago, Ivy claimed they were sleeping together. At the time, I hadn't believed her, but now... After he's been caught cheating on me, I had to know. She also doubts there hasn't been other women."

Rufus nodded. "For once, she and I agree on something. You know what? I did see her kissing some guy shortly before you and William got together. I couldn't see who the guy was, but it was probably William. It was the same time. It is what made me see her for who she really is."

Lily sighed again. "I'm sure it was. It all makes sense now. Anyway, that's not all. There's more."

"And what's that?" Rufus asked.

"Well, apparently, William is the one who helped wire my mother's money to her." Lily sighed yet again. "It just keeps getting worse and worse, doesn't it?"

Rufus walked over to her, and placed a hand overtop of her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Lil."

Lily shook her head. "It's okay. It's not your fault. It honestly all happened so long ago, I'm over it. I mean, it's always going to leave a sour taste in my mouth, but there's nothing I can do about it now, so what's done is done." Her eyes turned cold. "But I _can_ say that even though I'm over what happened, I will _never_ forgive William for that. He and I are finally over forever. For good. We're done."

"I'm glad to hear that part at least," Rufus said sincerely. He then smiled. "I know it must have killed you to go to Ivy Dickens for anything."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ugh! You have _no_ idea." She smiled. "But at least I don't have to hate her as much anymore. Hating William is exhausting enough."

"Tell me about it!" Rufus joked.

They both laughed.

"I'm surprised Ivy told you all that though, in all honesty," Rufus stated.

Lily nodded. "I am too, believe me. But I was nice to her, and told her I shouldn't have been so hard on her. I also told her that, as women, we have a responsibility to each other to tell the other when a man is cheating on her. I told her, I wouldn't wish a cheating lover on her even though I'm not her biggest fan. She said the same about me. She and I won't be besties anytime soon, but we at least came to an understanding."

"Well, I'm glad she told you the truth," Rufus said.

Lily nodded. "Me too. Now, if you'll excuse me, I better be getting home. I have to plan my attack on William."

Rufus grinned. "I wish I could be there when you give him the old heave-ho!"

Lily smiled. "I don't want any witnesses for some of the unladylike things I'll be saying to him."

Rufus laughed.

Lily headed to the door, then paused. She turned around to face him. "Oh, and Rufus?"

"Yes?" Rufus asked.

Lily bit her bottom lip. "Just check the trash bins for the capsule shells. Just humor me, okay? If you don't find them, then you can yell at me all you want, and I'll never bring it up again. But please at least check it out, okay? I only ask this of you because I care about you, and I don't want you to get hurt."

Before Rufus could respond, Lily left, the jingle of the door announcing her departure.

Rufus sighed. His fiancé would _not_ drug him. He was sure of it! Lily was just being foolish. But he'd check when he got home anyway. But only because he wanted to rub Lily's face in it that she was wrong. Then maybe she'd finally shut up about Lisa, and he could marry Lisa in peace.

~Begin Again~

Lily was waiting when the elevator doors opened, and William stepped into the apartment. From the smile on his face, and the roses in his hands, she knew he thought she had called him over for an entirely different reason than she had.

"Hello, my Love! I'm so glad you called." William walked over to her, and kissed her cheek. "So, have you taken any more thought into us getting back together? These are for you, by the way." He handed her the dozen red thornless roses he had been holding.

Lily smiled, then took them from him. Then, she threw them in his face. "You lying ass hole! There were other women, weren't there?"

William looked so shocked that Lily would have laughed, had this not been such a serious matter.

He cleared his throat. "Lily, my Darling, I told you there were no other women." His tone was calm, but he looked nervous. He bent down to pick up the roses.

"I don't want your stinking roses, William!" Lily snapped, having lost her patience the moment he denied sleeping with other women. "I mean, _gosh_, how many roses can one woman have at a time? I seriously want to vomit from the over abundance of rose smell in this apartment!"

William let the roses stay on the floor, and he stood back up. "Maybe tulips next time?" he asked with a sheepish grin.

"Forget about the damn flowers! This is about you lying to me about there not being any other women. I _know_ you slept with more than Cassidy!" Lily had both her hands clenched into tight fists, and she stared William down, her eyes boring into his, unwilling to break eye contact.

William swallowed nervously. "How did you find out?"

Lily released her fists. "I didn't know for sure, but I suspected. You just confirmed it."

"I swear they meant nothing, Lily! They were just for a little fun. I'll never let it happen again!" William said, sounding frantic.

"How many women were there, William?" Lily asked.

"I don't see why that matters. I'm not sleeping with anyone else now, and I never will ag—"

"How many _women_, William?" Lily asked firmly and coldly, her eyes still locked with his.

William looked away. "I don't remember how many, but there were a lot. I pretty much jumped from woman to woman. No one lasted more than a week or two until I met Cassidy."

"Oh my gosh," Lily said, covering her mouth, and shaking her head. "I should have known. What a fool I was. They warned me about you. Everyone warned me about you, but I didn't want to listen. No, I was too busy being a blind idiot!"

"Lil, you're not an idiot. You're just in love with me, and I'm in love with you!" William insisted.

Lily held a finger up to him. "For one, don't you _ever_ call me Lil. Rufus is the only one who calls me that, and the only one who will _ever_ call me that. Second of all, I _was_ in love with you. But that ended that the moment I found out you were cheating on me. I now see you for who you really are. You're a lying, manipulating, scumbag of a man, and I want you out of my life for good. Oh, and Ivy told me what you did. She told me how you had _my mother's_ money transferred to her. You son of a bitch! You're lucky I'm not a violent women, or I swear I'd gouge your eyes out, and shove them down your throat!" She was so angry, she was shaking, and she could feel her whole body flush with anger.

"You went to see Ivy? Why? Lily, you know she lies. You can't believe a word she says." William was clearly beyond nervous. Lily knew without a doubt _he_ was the one lying.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You're not one to talk about lying, William. You were also sleeping with her before we got back together. She had been telling the truth all along!"

"Lily, I was just using her!" William tried. He winced, apparently realizing how horrible that sounded.

"I bet you were cheating on her too, weren't you?" Lily asked.

"I wasn't, I swear!" William said.

"So, you need to cheat on me, but you didn't need to cheat on Ivy Dickens?" Lily asked. She was so annoyed. She didn't want Ivy to be cheated on either, but it still made her angry that he could be loyal to Ivy and not her. Even if he _did_ end up leaving Ivy for her.

"We didn't date long enough for me to cheat on her. Anyway, I left her for you, didn't I?" William asked.

Lily rolled her eyes. "So not the point! The only thing that matters now is that you and I are through—for good. And boy do I mean it this time! I don't want you to even _speak_ to me unless we have to speak for the divorce. You _will_ agree to this divorce, and it _will_ be uncontested. You leave this marriage with everything you brought into it, and I leave with everything _I_ brought into it. Got it?"

William looked crushed and defeated. He nodded without a word.

Lily smirked. "Good! I already have my lawyer drawing up the papers, so you should be hearing from him soon. Now get the hell out of my house!"

"Lily, can't we at least talk about this first?" William asked weakly.

"_**Out**_!" Lily said in such an angry voice, she barely even recognized it as her own. She shot him a look to kill in case he didn't get the picture.

He got the picture. He headed over to the elevator, pressed the button, then turned back to face her. "I really did love you, Lily. But don't worry, I won't contest the divorce."

She sighed. "William?"

He looked hopeful. "Yes?"

"I've been thinking about that necklace you gave me—how Lisa mysteriously ended up with one just like it. That was you, wasn't it?"

William looked down to the floor. "Yes." He then looked at her and shrugged. "I guess I should have known I couldn't keep you away from Rufus for long. I never could." He then stepped onto the elevator, and then disappeared from both Lily's sight, and from her life.

Lily sat down on the couch with a sigh. She covered her face in her hands. She knew he was just trying to make her feel sorry for him, but it didn't work.

She burst into tears, and sobbed into her hands. The only person she could feel sorry for right now, was herself.

~Begin Again~

Rufus got home, feeling half sick. He hated not trusting Lisa. Especially when he was going to marry her. But he just couldn't shake Lily's words from his head no matter how much he wanted to. It was just that, something didn't add up from the night before. You don't just get that tired out of the blue. At least, _he_ never did. Before last night that is. So now, here he was, about to greet Lisa and pretend that nothing was wrong when in fact, there was something _very_ wrong. At least, he suspected something might be wrong. However, he hoped that the only thing wrong was him. Though, judging from the nagging feeling deep down in his gut, he wasn't wrong at all. He had to find out though. Then and only then could he calm his nerves...or irritate them even more.

"Hey, Honey! How was your day?" Lisa asked, running to hug him as soon as he shut the loft door behind him.

He turned around to face her, and put on his best smile. "Hey, Beautiful! It was a good day. I sold a lot of paintings."

"Did you? That's amazing! It will help go towards our honeymoon," Lisa said.

"Yeah," Rufus agreed.

They kissed sweetly on the lips.

"So, what would you like for dinner tonight?" Lisa asked.

"Um, whatever. We can go out if you'd like," Rufus said. "Yes, actually, you've cooked a lot lately. Let's go out." The trust was, he didn't want her in the kitchen. He needed her out of the way so that he could search the kitchen trash. He'd feel like an asshole searching it, but he had to do what he had to do.

"All right! Sounds good!" She grinned. "Just let me go freshen up, and then we can get going." She kissed him. "Where would you like to go?"

He kissed her lips. "Anywhere you'd like to go."

She kissed him yet again. "We'll figure it out." She winked at him and smiled, then headed to the bedroom. "I won't be long!"

"Take your time," he said, before heading to the garbage can by the couch. He looked through it. There wasn't much in it, and certainly no pill capsules. He was relieved, but not too relieved, for he knew there were other trashcans he still had to look through.

He headed to the kitchen trashcan next, and sighed when he saw how full it was.

He grabbed another trash bag, then got to work at transferring the kitchen trash over to the empty bag, making sure to do no more than two pieces at a time, so as not to miss anything.

For a while, he thought he had nothing to worry about. He wasn't finding anything but egg shells, plastic wrapper, non recyclable food boxes, unwanted food, and used napkins. But then, as he got to the bottom of the original trash bag, there it was—two halves of a pill capsule.

Rufus took the two halves out of the trash, and turned them over in his hand. They looked like a sleeping pill to him. He suddenly felt sick.

~BA~

I couldn't believe it. Heck, I didn't _want_ to believe it. I didn't want to believe that Lisa, the woman I was set to marry in just over a month, was capable of drugging me. And yet, here was the proof. I mean, I guess it wasn't a hundred percent proof, but she'd never taken a sleeping pill that I know of, and I know _I_ certainly hadn't. At least, not of free will anyway.

I sighed. Was she really that threatened by Lily that she had to drug me?

I set the capsule halves down on the counter, then walked over to the dishwasher, and opened it up. I then looked for our glasses that we had drunk our green milk from. I found them, then examined them both carefully, looking for any sign of residue. I couldn't really tell.

I put the glasses back in the dishwasher, and shut the dishwasher door. I had just picked the capsule halves back up when Lisa came back out.

"I'm ready!" she said, a bright smile on her face. Her smile quickly faltered when she noticed the trash bag in the kitchen. "What's up? Changing the trash bag early? The garbage doesn't get picked up until Tuesday, Silly." She grinned.

I walked around the island into the living room area. "Lisa, Lily came by to see me today at the gallery during lunch. She wondered what happened to me last night. Apparently, I _hadn't_ called her and cancelled after all," I said calmly.

Lisa looked nervous to me. "Really? Huh. Well, maybe I misunderstood you. Maybe you said you _had_ to call her and tell her you couldn't go. I'm sorry."

I nodded. "Maybe." I looked her in the eyes then. "But that doesn't explain why Lily's texts and voicemail didn't show up on my phone."

Lisa shrugged. "Maybe she called the wrong number by mistake?"

I shook my head. "She knows my voicemail. She would have heard it wasn't me when it picked up."

"Well, maybe it was too loud in the pub for her to hear correctly, or maybe she had one too many beers at the time," Lisa said, sounding a little on edge.

"You know, it was so weird how I just fell asleep like that. It was just so out of the blue!" I said.

"Well, you did have a busy day," Lisa said.

I nodded. "True, but I've had even busier days in the past, and they never made me that tired. It's weird because I had the same symptoms as someone who has been drugged by a sleeping pill. Lily told me today about William having prescribed her a sleeping pill when she had insomnia. She had the same symptoms I had after taking one. You know, tired out of the blue even if you weren't the slightest bit tired before taking it. She fell asleep fast, and slept through the night, waking up feeling half groggy, and half refreshed."

Lisa swallowed, looking nervous. "That's weird," she said, her voice a little shaky.

"What's even more weird is that I found these two capsule halves at the bottom of the trash bag, and they look an awful lot like they're from a sleeping pill capsule. Do you have any idea why that might be, Lisa?" I couldn't stop myself now. I was on a role. I felt like a detective, who needed to get to the bottom of the case for his own sanity.

Lisa had tears in her eyes. "I don't know!"

I raised my eyebrows at her. "Don't you, Lisa? Because I know _I _never took a sleeping pill—at least, not that I'm aware of. And I haven't seen _you_ take one before either. So where did this come from? Hm?"

Suddenly, Lisa burst into tears. "All right, I did it! I drugged you! I didn't want you going out with Lily, so I drugged you to make you sleep past your date. Okay? I'm sorry!" She started sobbing.

All I could do then was stare at her, my mouth literally dropped open, in shock. And there it was. Lily had been right. Lisa had drugged me, like Lily had said, and it had been for the _reason_ Lily had said as well. _Wow_. Now the question was... Now what?

~BA~

"Were you that insecure that you had to _drug_ me to stop me from going out with Lily?" Rufus asked, still in shock that Lisa really had drugged him.

Lisa shrugged. "Can you blame me? You go out every week with your ex-wife, and come back _so_ happy. Also, I've seen the way you look at her. You can't take your eyes off her when she's around. Not to mention you're always so possessive and defensive of her."

"Hey, when she accused you of cheating on me, and then accused you of stealing from her, I cut off my friendship with her!" Rufus reminded her.

"Cutting off the friendship didn't last long, did it?" Lisa shot back.

Rufus could hardly believe that Lisa was the one acting like the victim. He shook his head. "She apologized, and was sincerely sorry. Besides, you said you didn't have a problem with her and I being friends after what she did to you!"

Lisa threw her hands in the air. "Well, I didn't want to look like an unforgiving bitch! You would have resented me if I kept you from seeing Lily, and you know it!"

"You should have talked to me about how you truly felt. You should have _trusted_ me to take into consideration your feelings. Yes, maybe as your fiancé I should have picked up on how you felt, but at the same time, I'm not a mind reader! If you had just told me how you felt, then we could have handled this together. But no. Instead, you felt you had to drug me!" Rufus snapped.

Lisa started crying again. "I know, and I'm sorry, okay? You just had such a wonderful day with Lily, and then you planned to get together on St. Patrick's Day. I just felt like you were starting to fall for her again. I didn't know what to do, so I panicked!"

"What you should have done, Lisa, is come to me about it. Did that ever cross your mind?" Rufus asked.

Lisa shook her head, her eyes on the floor.

"Where did you even get that pill anyway?" Rufus then asked. "Lily said William had to _prescribe_ her a sleeping pill."

Lisa looked at him and blushed.

Rufus narrowed his eyes at her, suddenly having a sinking feeling. "You got it from William, didn't you?"

Lisa looked away. "We're friends, and he wanted Lily away from you, just as I wanted you away from Lily. Also, he's a doctor, so he was the perfect man to go to."

Rufus laughed bitterly, and looked off into the distance. "Oh my gosh, I cannot believe I'm hearing these words come out of your mouth! You went to _William_, Lisa? Really? Not only that, but you're _friends_?"

Lisa shrugged. "I wouldn't exactly say we're besties. We don't really even hang out together much except for a couple of lunches when—" Lisa cut herself off, and her eyes got wide. She hadn't meant to let that come out, apparently.

Rufus crossed his arms over his chest, and raised an eyebrow. "A couple of lunches? When?"

Lisa looked away. "I met him on his lunch break a couple times, and we went to lunch together."

"And why didn't you tell me?" Rufus asked her.

Lisa shrugged, still not looking at him.

"Oh, I think you know. You were about to say something. When you and William _what_, Lisa? What else are you hiding from me? Hm?" Rufus felt his anger welling up inside of him.

Lisa sighed, and finally looked at him. "We were working together for a short while to keep you and Lily apart."

"And how did you do that?" Rufus asked. Then, before Lisa could reply, something inside of his brain clicked. His eyes got wide. "It was you, wasn't it? You're the one who tipped him off about the plan to catch him in the act!"

Lisa looked like she was about to cry again. "I was desperate! I'm sorry! I called him, and then he got a coworker of his to play another redhead or something. I'm not sure of the whole story. But yes, I was the one who tipped him off."

Rufus sighed, and shook his head as he turned his back to her. "I don't believe this. I really don't believe this." He then turned around to face Lisa again. "I really can't believe _you_ either! How could you, Lisa? How could you drug me, you're own fiancé? I mean, is this really what I have to look forward to? A lifetime of being drugged by you every time you get jealous of Lily's and my relationship, or my relationship with some other woman you can't seem to trust me alone with?"

Lisa shook her head. "Of course not! Look, I made a mistake, all right? I'm sorry! I'll never do it again!" Lisa promised.

Rufus laughed bitterly. "A mistake? A _mistake_? Lisa, a _mistake_ is forgetting to put the milk back in the fridge, or burning dinner. Drugging me is a felony!"

"So what are you going to do, call the police on me?" Lisa asked with a sniffle, sounding a little worried.

Rufus sighed. "Of course not! But it doesn't mean I don't have the right to be angry with you! It doesn't mean that it was just some minor thing that I am supposed to just brush off as a mistake!"

Lisa looked down to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I know," she said, it coming out in a whisper.

"You deleted all of Lily's texts too, didn't you?" Rufus then asked.

Lisa nodded, then sniffled, still looking to the floor.

"And you listened to her voicemail and then deleted it, didn't you?" Rufus then asked.

"Yes," Lisa admitted, her voice shaky.

"Great! That's just great," Rufus said sarcastically. He grabbed his coat then, and slipped on his shoes.

"Where are you going?" Lisa asked, her voice filled with tears as she finally turned to face him.

Rufus headed to the door. "Out!" He unlocked the door, and slid it open.

"Rufus, please! Stay here so we can talk this out!" Lisa cried.

Rufus whipped around to face her, his eyes filled with anger. "I can't!" he snapped, feeling his whole body shake, half with anger, and half with the hurt tears he was bottling up inside.

"Why not?" Lisa asked, the tears streaming down her face. She sniffled.

"Because honestly, Lisa, I can't even stand to be anywhere near you right now. I can't stay otherwise..." Rufus trailed off.

"Otherwise what?" Lisa asked.

Rufus sighed. "Otherwise, eloping might not be the only thing we don't do."

"What do you mean?" Lisa practically screeched.

"What I mean is, if I don't get some time to cool off, not only is eloping off, but the whole getting married thing could be off too." With those final words to Lisa, Rufus turned and left, slam sliding the loft door closed.

He winced when he heard Lisa sobbing from the other side of the door. He knew he should feel bad, but right now, he was frankly too angry to give a damn.

~Begin Again~

William knocked on Cassidy's door, feeling confidant. He was tired of fighting for Lily when she didn't want to be fought for—at least not fought for by him. He loved her, but frankly, this whole fighting for Lily thing was just down right tiring. He was William van der Woodsen, and William van der Woodsen shouldn't have to fight for a woman. At least, not to the point of begging.

Cassidy opened the door. She scowled when she saw William standing there, and shot him a dirty look when she saw him bringing forward the huge bouquet of peonies that he had had hidden behind his back. She tried to slam the door, but he stopped the door from shutting.

"Cassidy, wait. Please, here me out. Let me explain," he pleaded.

Cassidy glared at him. "You cheated on me. What is there to explain? Or is it, you cheated on your wife? Gosh, you're just an all around cheater!" She stomped her foot, shaking, and turning red with anger.

William held back a grin. She was so sexy when she was angry. It must be the Irish roots in her, he thought. "I cheated on Lily because I was bored in the bedroom, and frankly, I was falling out of love with her. She never let me be me. She was always trying to make me into someone I'm not."

"That's why you should have been with me and only me. I was perfectly happy with the way you are. That is, until I found out that you're a lying, two-timing, cheating bag of scum!" She tried to slam the door again, but William stuck his foot out, stopping her. "It's over between Lily and I. She is divorcing me, and I told her I will not contest the divorce. She's having the papers drawn up ASAP."

"So I'm your second choice." Cassidy rolled her eyes. "No thanks!"

This time, William pushed through the open doorway before she could slam it in his face.

"Hey! Leave this once, or I'm calling security!" Cassidy snapped.

William set the flowers down on top of the mantle, and turned back to Cassidy. "Cassidy, please, just hear what I have to say. _All_ of what I have to say. If you still want me gone after I say what I need to say, then I'll leave, and you'll never see me again."

Cassidy sighed, and rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest. "You have five minutes."

"I'll admit, I was a player. I loved my women, and I had many. I guess, I really had no business being married," he began.

"You think?" Cassidy asked, sitting down on a plush white leather chair.

William sat down on the matching couch in front of the chair. "I never lasted with a girl for more than a week or two at best. But, when I met you, I found myself not wanting to let you go. I had no desire to find another woman. I only wanted to be with you."

"And Lily," Cassidy quipped.

William nodded. "True. But I found myself wanting to be with Lily less and less, and more and more with you. Heck, even when Lily first started to suspect I was cheating, I didn't stop seeing you because I didn't want to. I was falling in love with you, and I just couldn't get myself to break it off with you no matter how dangerous it was to keep seeing you."

"If you love me so much then why did you keep seeing Lily?" Cassidy asked.

William shrugged. "Old habits die hard. Lily is my wife, and I guess a part of me was having a hard time letting go of that. I do still love her to an extent. I mean, she's the mother of two of my children." He sighed, then looked Cassidy directly in the eyes. "But I'm just no longer in love with her the way a husband should be with his wife. She and I are just so different that we both just grew apart. The part of me that was still holding on was trying to hold onto something that just isn't there anymore. Not on her part, and not on mine."

Cassidy looked away, and was silent for a minute. Then, after a moment, she looked back at William. "I was falling in love with you too. It really hurt me when I found out you were married all this time. And heck, if you cheated on her, who's to say you wouldn't cheat on me?"

"But that's just it! After meeting you, I could no longer get myself to cheat with anyone else, nor could I get myself to even want to! Cassidy, meeting you was like... I don't know. There isn't even words to describe it. All I can say is, I felt complete in a way that I never felt before—not even with Lily!" William was surprised to realize he actually meant every word he was saying to Cassidy. For once in his life, he didn't feel the need to spout out lies. He didn't have to. "Please, Cassidy, give me another chance."

Cassidy bit her bottom lip. "I don't know. I want to get back with you, William, but how can I ever trust you again?"

William had been thinking about this on the way over, so he knew exactly what to say. He just hoped she'd be as all for it as he was. "Let's go away together."

~BA~

Cassidy raised her eyebrows at me. "Excuse me?"

I nodded. "You heard me. Let's go away together. We'll go on a boat, and travel around the word for a while. I can take a leave of absence from work. Lord knows I could use the break."

"I can't just up and leave work," Cassidy said.

I shrugged. "Why not? I have enough money to support us both. Heck, you know what? We could even move to Tampa. You said your parents and little sister live there, and you're sad because you never get to see them anymore. Let's move there. I have nothing holding me back here anymore. I mean, I have Serena, but she's grown and married now, and living her own life. She doesn't need her daddy around twenty-four-seven. She and I can still visit whenever we want. And my Lola is from Miami. Her mother still lives there in fact. Lola even has a boyfriend from Orlando, so I'm sure she'll be in Florida sometimes. What's a short little drive from Tampa to Orlando, or vise-versa? Heck, Even Miami is just a little over 6 hours from Tampa."

Cassidy smiled. "It _would_ be nice to be near my family. I miss my little sister so much I could cry! To live near her would be a dream come true."

"We can get a nice little place together by the water. And, I'm sure Tampa needs hair dressers just as much as New York does." I winked. "As for my job, I have enough contacts at the hospital to get me into the Tampa hospital."

"And, ever since my roommate moved out to live with her boyfriend, it's been a struggle keeping this place," Cassidy said as if seriously contemplating my offer.

I nodded. "See? Everything is pointing to this being the right decision."

Cassidy sighed, and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know. This is a _huge_ step. Especially after I recently found out you were secretly married."

I shrugged. "How about this? We take this trip. We can go to Europe, and take a month off just to sail around Europe. We'll get to know each other better. Then, if you decide you don't want to be with me after what I did, we can break up. And, if you want to be with me, well, Tampa, here we come!"

"This is still crazy," Cassidy said.

I nodded. "I know." I really hoped she agreed to this. I honestly didn't want to lose her. It wasn't about not wanting to be alone, because, let's face it, William van der Woodsen was never on a shortage of women. But I honestly really was in love with Cassidy, and I really didn't want to lose her. I could handle losing Lily. After all, it wouldn't be the first time. Not at all. But Cassidy, no. What she and I had was real, and I truly had no desire to cheat anymore as long as I was with her. As clichéd as it sounds, she made me a better man.

Cassidy then grinned at me. "Lucky for you, I happen to like crazy."

I grinned in return. "I'm so relieved!" I got up to hug her, but she stopped me, holding out her hand in a stop position. "But if you even cheat on me just once, I swear I'll rip off your balls and make you choke on them!"

I swallowed hard. Knowing Cassidy, I had no doubt she would.

~BA~

William nodded. "Point taken. I will never cheat on you again for as long as I live. I'll even see what my lawyers can do to speed up the divorce process for Lily and I."

Cassidy smiled, then held out her arms. "In that case, come here, you! You have a lot of making it up to me to do."

William grinned, ran to her, took her into his arms, and kissed her, vowing to never let this woman go again. She was one hell of a woman, and he was one hell of a man. He needed a woman like her in his life, and in his bed.

Cassidy grinned as she broke the hug. "I always wanted to see Paris, and Milan, and—"

William cut her off. "We can see it all, my Love!"

Cassidy squealed, and clapped her hands. Then, she stopped, and raised an eyebrow. "Do you even know how to steer a boat?"

William shook his head. "Na, but I figured I can just read a manual or something. It can't be _that_ hard."

Cassidy looked at him funny.

William burst out laughing. "I'm messing with you! I have my captain's license. I have ever since I was in my twenties. I've always loved to sail."

Cassidy grinned, and playfully slapped his shoulder. "You jackass!" She then kissed him, and held him close again. "So, you have your own boat? I never knew that!"

William held her close in return, savoring the moment. "No, I don't own a boat. I always figured it would be too much of a hassle to own one. I prefer to charter my yachts. We can start in Barcelona. We'll fly there, and charter the yacht, or we can start anywhere else you'd like to start off, and charter it there instead."

"Barcelona sounds perfect," Cassidy said dreamily, her head resting against his chest now.

William kissed the top of her head. "Barcelona it is. Later tonight, I'll book our flight." He smiled, and lovingly stroked her hair. It looked like it would be a good life for him after all.

~Begin Again~

Lily was just thinking about taking a bubble bath to try to wash away her terrible day, when the elevator doors opened.

She sighed, and turned around from her spot halfway up the stairs. "William, I told you to get out! That meant, not coming back, like ever." She stopped short when she saw that it wasn't William, but rather, Rufus. She placed a hand over her heart.  
"Rufus, what are you doing here?" She headed down the stairs, and sat down on the couch. She pat the seat beside her, noticing how down he looked. "What's wrong?"

Rufus sat down beside her, and faced her. "You were right," he said simply. "She drugged me to get me away from you. I found the capsules in the trash. I confronted her, and she admitted it all. She deleted all your messages too."

Lily looked away. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to be right." She looked at him again. "I didn't want you to be hurt."

"I just can't believe she drugged me, Lil! Instead of talking to me about her insecurities, she drugged me." He sighed, and shook his head. "You think you know someone, and it turns out you really don't know them at all."

Lily nodded. "I know _that's_ right!"

"Get this—Lisa even admitted to working with William to keep us apart. She is the one that tipped William off to Blair's plan so that William knew to bring a decoy redhead!" Rufus said, sounding as if he could hardly believe it himself.

Lily gasped. "That bitch! And that bastard. _Gosh_, it seems like William's been busy. I've been finding out a _lot_ of things about him and his misdeeds today."

Rufus looked at her. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you about Lisa."

Lily smiled and shrugged. "It's okay. It's not like I believed you when you told me about William cheating on me."

"I guess we need to learn to trust each other better, huh?" Rufus asked with a weak smile.

Lily smiled back. "Yes! I mean, if we can't trust each other, then who _can_ we trust? Right?"

Rufus nodded. "Right! Obviously we can't trust our significant others."

"_Ex_ significant other in my case. I told him I want a non-contested divorce, and he agreed." Lily said. "What did you say to Lisa?"

Rufus sighed. "I told her I needed some time away from her to think about whether or not I still want to get married." He sighed again, then nodded at Lily. "Did William try to deny anything when you confronted him?" Rufus asked. "Lisa did until I badgered it out of her."

Lily nodded. "Of course! I had to badger him too, but eventually he admitted there were other women before Cassidy, and a lot of them at that."

Rufus gently stroked her cheek. "I'm sorry, Lil. You don't deserve that."

"And you don't deserve to be drugged," Lily said.

"That's something you don't hear every day!" Rufus said with a grin.

Lily laughed. "No, you don't," she agreed.

"At least I know _you'd _never drug me," he said to her, his tone soft, and his eyes a bit lowered as he gently stroked her cheek some more.

"And I know _you'd_ never cheat on me," Lily said, her tone just as soft as she gently stroked his cheek in return. Her eyes were lowered as well.

"Never," Rufus murmured.

Then, before either of them seemed to know what was happening, they slowly leaned in to each other until their lips finally met. They kissed softly at first, then more passionate. Then, Rufus got up off the couch, extending his hand to Lily.

Lily let Rufus help her up off the couch, then he picked her up.

Lily placed her hands on each side of his face, and they resumed their kissing.

As Rufus carried her upstairs to the bedroom, part of Lily's brain that told her it was wrong; that Rufus was still engaged. But the other part of Lily's brain—the more dominant part of her brain—told her that, if kissing Rufus and making love with him was wrong, then she really didn't care to be right. She decided to go with the latter. After all, as already noted, it _was_ the more dominant side of her brain.


	15. The Power of the Seduction

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 15: The Power of the Seduction**_

Lily closed her eyes, her fingers tangled in Rufus's hair as he kissed down her neck, and between her breasts. He had removed her blouse moments before—right after she had slid off his flannel, and pulled off his teeshirt.

She moaned as he kissed down her stomach, letting his tongue dip into her naval.

He then kissed his way back up her chest before pressing his lips against hers again. His hands roamed down her body.

"I love you," Lily murmured in his ear after kissing him for a moment. "I never stopped."

Rufus kissed down the left side of her neck before looking her in the eyes. "I never stopped loving you either," he admitted.

"So what are we going to do about it?" Lily asked with a smile, her hand slipping down the back of his jeans to massage his lower back right above his butt.

Rufus bit his bottom lip. "Lil, I can't."

Lily smiled. "Don't worry. I know just what to do to help you along." She then brought her lips to his right ear, and murmured, "I remember what you like." She then gently took his earlobe between her teeth, and ever so gently scraped them down until they slipped off of it.

Rufus moaned. "Lil, it's not that. Trust me, I could if I wanted to, and I _do_ want to, it's just..." He sighed. "I didn't officially break it off with Lisa. I do still love her, and I don't want to be William. I don't want to be a cheater. It's bad enough that I'm kissing you, but making love with you when I'm still engaged to her would simply be unforgivable."

Lily felt a mixture of disappointment and annoyance. "But you just said you never stopped loving me! And you're going to go back to Lisa after what she did to you? Rufus, she drugged you for goodness sake!"

Rufus nodded. "I know, but she was desperate. She didn't want to lose me. I know it doesn't excuse what she did. What she did was so wrong on many different levels. But I can understand why she did it. Besides, I was never in any real danger."

Lily shook her head, and crossed her arms over her chest. "You never know! Sleeping pills are potent pills! That is why they have to be _prescribed_ to the taker. She didn't know you wouldn't have a bad reaction to one!"

Rufus shrugged. "She probably didn't even think there could be a risk. I mean, I didn't even have any alcohol that day."

Lily sighed. "Even so, I can't believe you're going back to her after what she did to you."

"I can't help it. I still love her, Lil. I can't just turn my feelings off like a light switch." Rufus sounded helpless, and he looked at her with desperation.

Lily looked away, her arms still crossed over her chest. "But you said you loved me too," she said quietly. She then looked at him even though it hurt to. "Or do you love her more?"

Rufus sighed. "I do love you, Lil! I really do. I didn't lie about that. But I also love Lisa. It's impossible to say whom I love more because you and Lisa are both so different. I love you for different reasons. But, that being said, I did agree to marry Lisa, and I am still very much in love with her, despite what she did to me. I really think it's best that I go back to her. You and I tried to be together many times before, Lil, and it never seemed to work out for us. I think we're just not right for each other. We have the love and attraction for each other, yes, but we're just not compatible as a couple."

"Before it was all me. I was dumb enough to fall for Bart and William. I now see how crazy I was to have left you. You're the only man for me, and the only one who will _ever_ be for me. I know you know it's true." She gently stroked his cheek. "The timing just wasn't right before. But it is now, and I promise you, I will never let you go again."

Rufus gently nuzzled his cheek up against her hand, his eyes closed. Then, he sighed, and opened his eyes. "That's just it, Lil—the timing isn't right now either. I'm engaged. I think that you and I are just not meant to be. The timing is never right for us. I think that says something right there."

Lily removed her hand from his cheek, and looked away. "Fine. Then you should probably go." She refused to look at him.

Rufus sighed again. "Lil, I'm sorry, but I think this is what's best for us—just being friends."

Lily didn't say anything. She was afraid she'd cry if she did.

Rufus got up off the bed, and put his tee shirt and flannel back on. Then, he walked over to Lily's side of the bed, so that she was forced to look at him. He bent down, and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, Lil. I'll still always love you. You know that, right?" He gently stroked her cheek.

Rufus then kissed her lips, gently stroking her hair as he did so. "I don't think we should get together tomorrow. Lisa and I need time to work things out. I'll call you soon though, I promise." Then, he left without another word.

Lily waited a few minutes until she heard the elevator doors open and close, then she sat up in bed, and sighed. This wasn't over. Not at all. She didn't care what Rufus said. She knew he was still in love with her, and wanted to be with her. He didn't love Lisa the same way he loved her. The love he had with Lisa couldn't even _compare_ to the love they shared.

She hopped out of bed, and headed to the bathroom to take a bath. There was no way in hell she was letting a drugging lunatic like Lisa have her man. Rufus was _hers_—not Lisa's. Ands now that she knew what Lisa had done, Lily was willing to do anything she had to do get Rufus back for good. After all, Rufus staying with Lisa simply wasn't an option anymore.

~Begin Again~

Rufus went for a long walk to clear his head after he had left Lily's. The truth was, he had wanted to make love to her. Boy had he wanted to make love to her! But he could't get himself to do so. Like he had told Lily, he wasn't William. He was not going to cheat on his fiancé, even though they were currently having problems.

He meant what he said to Lily. He could understand why Lisa did what she did, even though he didn't agree with what she did, and even though she should have just come to him first with her concerns before doing something so crazy as to drug him.

He sighed. Even so, he also meant it when he told Lily he loved Lisa. And, even though he didn't approve of what Lisa had done, he didn't think it was enough to break up over. As long as she knew what she did was wrong, and as long as she promised to never do it again, he saw no reason why he and she couldn't still get married.

So, that being decided, he headed home.

When he got there, Lisa was sitting on the couch. She looked at him when he entered, her eyes red and puffy from what he assumed was her having been crying.

"I didn't think you'd come back tonight," she said with a sniffle as she watched him slide the door shut and lock it.

He turned to face her, and shrugged. "I didn't think I would either."

"So, what changed your mind?" she asked.

He walked over toward her, and sat down next to her on the couch. "I was at Lily's," he stated simply.

Lisa sniffled, then nodded before pulling out a tissue from the box on the coffee table, and dabbing her eyes. I had a feeling you were." She blew her nose.

"I kissed her. In fact, it got to the point where I had her blouse off, and she had my shirts off," Rufus continued.

Lisa looked away. "I don't think I want to hear this," she whispered.

Rufus gently grabbed her chin, and moved it so that she was forced to look at him. "But that's as far as it went. I couldn't sleep with her because I am still in love with you, and we're still engaged. I'm not William. I couldn't sleep with another woman when I'm still with you and in love with you."

Lisa sniffled again, but she looked a little more hopeful this time. "But I worked with William against you and Lily. Heck, I even _drugged_ you! You should hate me!"

Rufus smiled. Her saying that made him realize that she really _was_ sorry for what she had done to him, and that she knew it was wrong. "I'll agree, that was pretty bad. You should have trusted me enough to talk to me. You never should have drugged me. You _certainly_ never should have worked with William."

Lisa nodded. "I know. I was a total and complete idiot! I'm sorry."

Rufus sighed, then smiled again as he gently stroked her cheek. "But I could never hate you, Lisa. I _love_ you!"

"I love you too," Lisa said, looking like she was about to cry again.

"I still want to marry you, and I still want to be with you. I just have to know that you'll never do something like this again. I never want you even _talking_ to William anymore either. That guy is nothing but bad news. Nothing good comes out of having him in your life—trust me." Rufus looked her in the eyes to show her how serious he really was. "I mean it! That guy's trash."

Lisa nodded. "Trust me, I learned my lesson. I will always come to you from now on. My drugging days are over, and so are my William days."

"And as for Lily, maybe you weren't entirely wrong about my feelings for her. I obviously do still have feelings for her. But trust me." Rufus took Lisa's hands in his own. "My feelings for you are so much stronger! Lily and I are friends, but that's as far as it goes. She and I are so not right for each other as a couple. It never works! But I do still want her in my life as a friend, and I hope that you can accept that. She is the mother of one of my children, and a dear, dear friend of mine. I would hope that you wouldn't ask me to cut her out of my life, because honestly, I don't think I ever could. I tried it once, and it didn't work out too well."

Lisa shook her head. "I know better than to ask you that. I trust you. I really do. I just had a momentary laps in sanity." She grinned.

Rufus grinned. "Hanging around with William van der Wooden will do that to you." He winked at her.

Lisa giggled. "Very true!" She smiled and winked back at him.

"Now, I know you once said that if I ever kiss Lily again that it's over between you and I for good. However, I hope you'll give me a pass this time since I gave you one?" Rufus asked, an eyebrow raised.

Lisa nodded. "As far as I'm concerned, the kiss never happened. Trust me, I know I'm in no position to judge."

Rufus smiled, his hands in hers now. "So let's go into this marriage with a clean slate. The past is the past, and not worth mentioning. Let's just look forward to our beautiful future together as husband and wife."

Lisa had tears in her eyes again, only this time, Rufus was pretty sure they were tears of joy. "That sounds perfect!" she said.

Rufus' eyes lowered with love for his future bride-to-be. He pulled Lisa closer, and they slowly leaned into kiss.

He sighed contently, pushing all nagging thoughts of still loving Lily from his mind.

~Begin Again~

Almost two weeks had passed since Lily and Rufus had kissed. Rufus had only called her once, and that was to cancel the next Monday as well, making it two Mondays in a row of not getting together. To say Lily was frustrated was an understatement. Rufus was avoiding her, and she knew it. She also knew _why_ he was avoiding her. He knew that, if he got to close to her, the feelings he had for her would once again bubble to the surface. And, right now, he wasn't willing to admit to those feelings.

Lily sighed. Luckily, Easter was the next day, and she knew just how to force Rufus to see her. Not only that, but she planned on having a little fun in the process. She was going to seduce him. She'd dress like she did in her twenties when she wanted all the hot rockstars to get weak in the knees when they saw her. After all, it had worked for Rufus back then. She had no doubt that it would work just the same now, for, let's face it, she still had it, and she knew it!

Of course this meant she was going to have to do a little scheming. However, she knew it wouldn't be the slightest bit hard. All she had to do was make the call to Serena.

She grabbed her phone, and dialed up her daughter's number, not wanting to waste a second more.

Serena picked up on the third ring. "Hey, Mom, what's up?"

Lily smiled. "Hello, my Darling. I was wondering what your plans are for Easter tomorrow?"

"Well, Dan and I are actually going to go over to Rufus and Lisa's. Rufus is cooking a ham and making garlic bread, and Lisa's making the mashed potatoes and corn. Dan and I promised to bring the green bean casserole and dessert. Why?"

"Well, as you know, I'm not with your father anymore. I just thought it might be nice to spend Easter with you." Lily tried her best to sound lonely.

"I'm sorry! I just assumed you would be going to Chuck and Blair's. If you want to come, I'm sure Rufus wouldn't mind," Serena said immediately. "He said he got a huge ham. I'm sure there will be plenty extra."

"Chuck and Blair are going to be with Blair's fathers in Paris. It's their turn to spend Easter with Blair, Chuck, and Henry," Lily said, happy that it was actually true. It made things so much easier.

"It's settled then. You'll come with Dan and I to Rufus and Lisa's. Do you want us to pick you up?" Serena asked.

"No, Darling, I'll just met you there, but thank you. What time?"

"Well, Rufus said that Lisa wants to go to church first, so it will be around twelve thirty."

Lily smiled big. "That sounds perfect! I'll be there. Should I bring anything?"

"Maybe just something to drink? Seeing as it's Easter, and it will be too early, you better make it something nonalcoholic," Serena said cheerily.

Lily chuckled. "Done."

"So, I'll see you tomorrow then," Serena stated.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Lily confirmed. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. Bye."

"Bye, my Darling." Lily hung up the phone, then tossed her phone onto the bed with a smile. Everything was going according to plan. Now it was time to shop for the perfect outfit that would bring Rufus to his knees. As she had just said to Serena—Done!

~Begin Again~

Lisa sat in church on Easter Sunday feeling a little on edge despite the fact that Rufus had forgiven her, and was now sitting beside her on the pew, holding her hand. She knew Rufus had forgiven her, and chosen her, but she still couldn't help but wonder, for how long? It was less than a month away until they were married, but until then, she just couldn't get herself to relax. When Dan had called the night before to inform them that Lily would be joining them for lunch, it made her stomach lurch. She was just starting to feel a little relaxed seeing as Rufus had cancelled the past two Mondays with Lily, and spent them with her instead. Then this had to happen, and Lily had to join them for lunch. Lisa was no fool. She knew Lily had a secret intention behind joining them. She wanted Rufus back, pure and simple! Well, Lisa wasn't going to allow it! Rufus was _her_ fiancé—not Lily's. And she was not about to let Lily snatch him out from under her! Especially not in her own home.

It's not that Lisa hadn't meant what she said when she told Rufus that she trusted him. She _did_ trust him. It was Lily that she didn't trust.

Lisa quietly sighed. Of course William had to get caught. Had he just learned to keep it in his pants, or at the very least be more discreet about it, he'd still be with Lily, and none of this would have happened.

The communion plate passed around then, and Lisa took her wafer and miniature glass of grape juice before passing the plate onto the person to her right. Rufus smiled at her from her left, and she smiled in return.

Her stomach dropped a little at the thought of losing him to Lily. She couldn't lose him to Lily. She wouldn't! Lily had had her chance and she blew it, so now Rufus was hers instead.

The pastor instructed them to eat their wafer after he read a Luke 22:19 from the Bible. "And he took bread and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.'"

They all ate the wafer, but to Lisa, in her distress, it felt like dropping a rock into the pit that was her stomach.

The pastor read the following verse, Luke 22:20. "Likewise, also the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.'"

They all drank down the grape juice.

It was a little easier for Lisa to get the grape juice down. She was trying to pay attention to the pastor, and the true meaning of Easter, and forget about Lily, even though it was hard.

Lisa knew that she just had to remember that, even though Rufus had kissed Lily yet again—without their shirts on nonetheless—he had still ended it, and gone back to her. So, that had to mean that Rufus loved her more than Lily, didn't it? Lisa had to believe it did. Otherwise, she was afraid she'd snap again like she had when she had drugged him. She honestly didn't know what she had been thinking. All she knew now was that she was going to cut off all ties with William van der Woodsen. Rufus was right—_nothing_ good came out of having him in her life.

For the rest of the service, Lisa was able to concentrate. However, once the service ended, and they were dismissed, she knew she was headed back home to prepare a lunch for her, Rufus, Dan, Serena, and _Lily_. The thought made her want to vomit.

"Ready to go?" Rufus asked her with a smile as he took her hand in his. He kissed her cheek.

Lisa smiled up at him. "Yah! Let's go." She kissed his cheek in return, then headed out of the church with him, reminding herself once again that Rufus had turned down Lily for her. She just hoped it stayed that way.

~Begin Again~

Rufus had been trying to avoid Lily. He had been doing a pretty good job of it too. That is, he was until Serena had invited her to join them for Easter lunch. Rufus hadn't been too pleased to hear that, but at the same time, he knew they couldn't turn Lily away. He didn't want her spending Easter all alone.

It wasn't that he was angry with Lily. He had no reason to be. It was just that, like he had told her, he did still love her. And now that he knew she still loved him, it was hard for hm to fight his feelings for her. That is why he had been avoiding her. It was just that, he loved Lisa so much as well that he couldn't leave her. He couldn't abandon Lisa. He and Lily's relationship had run its course, and now it was time for him to be with Lisa. Besides, also like he had told Lily, he wasn't going to be William. He wasn't going to be that guy who cheated on his wife. He loved Lisa, and he had proposed to her. Now he was going to be a man, and finish what he had started. He was going to marry Lisa in a few weeks, and that was that.

The oven beeped, indicating that the ham was done. Rufus got out the rack, put it on the counter, then got out the oven mitts, and took out the ham.

"Mm, that looks and smells delicious!" Lisa said, eyeing up the ham as he placed it on the rack.

Rufus nodded. "I can hardly wait to dig into it! I'm starved." He picked up the carving knife, and began to carve it into medium-thick, even slices.

"Me too," Lisa said before turning on the mixer to blend her mashed potatoes.

There was a knock on the door then.

"Come in!" Rufus called out while continuing to slice the ham. "It's open!"

The door slid open. "Hey! Happy Easter!" Serena said as she came in carrying a big container of green bean casserole in one hand, and a plate of deviled eggs in another.

"Happy Easter," Dan echoed from behind her. He slid the door shut behind them.

"Happy Easter!" Lisa said with a grin.

"Happy Easter," Rufus said, smiling over his shoulder at them before he went back to slicing the ham.

"I brought deviled eggs too. I figured since it's Easter, I might as well, right?" Serena asked as she and Dan set the food down on the end of the island.

"Yes! I had forgotten about deviled eggs. Thank you for making them," Lisa said with a smile. Her eyes then traveled the room. "Where's Lily? Did she decide not to come?" She turned off the blender, and began to add butter and salt to the potatoes.

Rufus smirked. He could tell by the hopeful tone in Lisa's voice that she didn't want Lily there. Honestly, he didn't want her there either. He was sure they both had the same reason for not wanting her there.

"She's still coming. She's just meeting us here," Serena said as she took her coat off, and draped it over the back of the couch.

Dan did the same.

"_Damn_," Lisa muttered under her breath.

Rufus tried not to laugh.

Neither Serena nor Dan seemed to have heard Lisa.

Rufus finished slicing the ham. He then took a big fork, and forked a good amount of ham onto the nice glass Easter plate that Lisa had bought a couple years ago. He then brought the ham filled plate it to the island just as there was a knock on the door.

"Come in! It's open!" Serena called out, as if the loft was her place as well.

"I can't! My hands are full!" Lily called from the other side.

Dan walked over to the door and swung it open, then in walked Lily, carrying a two liter bottle of Pepsi in her right hand, and a two liter bottle of ginger ale in her left hand. "Hello, Everyone! Happy Easter!" She walked over to Dan and kissed his cheek.

"Happy Easter," he said, taking the Pepsi from her, and kissing her cheek in return.

"Thank you, Daniel." Lily walked over to Serena while Dan slid the door shut, locking it this time.

Lily kissed her daughter's cheek. "Thank you for inviting me."

"Happy Easter, Mom. You don't need to thank me. I'm glad I get to spend Easter with my Mom." Serena side hugged her mom, and kissed her cheek, then took the ginger ale from her, and set it in on the island.

Dan set the Pepsi next to the ginger ale.

"I would have gotten wine or something else fun, but you said nothing alcoholic, so soda it is!" Lily said with an eye roll.

Serena smiled. "It's not going to kill you, or any of us to not drink for one meal."

"I don't know, it just might," Lisa said.

Lily smirked. "Happy Easter, Lisa."

Rufus tried to read Lily's tone, but it was monotone. He figured she was taking tips from Chuck on how to show no emotion when speaking.

"Happy Easter, Lily. So glad you could join us," Lisa said with a smile seeping with fakeness.

Rufus smirked as he popped the garlic bread into the oven. At least Lily and Lisa were being civil to each other. That's all he could ask for, he knew.

"Thank you for having me," Lily said as she walked behind the island into the kitchen area. She walked behind Rufus, who jumped when she purred behind him, "Happy Easter, Rufus!"

He turned around, blushing because he had jumped. "Happy Easter," he said. "You scared me. I didn't hear you sneak up behind me."

Lily smirked, and winked at him. "I know." She then walked back around the island to the couch, where she promptly removed her khaki-colored trench coat, and draped it over the couch with the rest of the coats. Next, she turned around, hiding a smile as Serena, Dan, and Lisa's eyes all fell on her.

"Wow, Mom, you look smokin'!" Serena stated.

Lily grinned. "Thank you! I just picked it up yesterday." She had chosen to go stockingless. Instead, she had used Nair on her legs to make them perfectly smooth. On her feet were a pair of strappy, sparkly silver five-inch heeled Christian Louboutin sandals. For her attire, she wore a satin white and lavender floral print dress. It hugged her curves in _all_ the right places, went to the middle of her thighs, and had a plunging neckline. She woke a white and gold Hermés Collier de Chien bracelet with a 24 carat gold cross that dangled between her cleavage. She wore her hair pinned up in a sexy chignon, with a lily pinned to the left side of her chignon.

Her make up was applied perfectly, which showed off her already flawless skin beautifully. Her lids were dusted with a shimmery lavender shadow to bring out her brown eyes. Her lips were baby pink and glossy, and her cheeks had just the right amount of rosy tint.

She placed her left hand over her hip and smiled. "What do _you_ think, Rufus? Do I look okay?" She batted her eyes, which had been lined in a lavender eye liner, and coated with three coats of the blackest black mascara, both from YSL.

Rufus had turned around upon Serena's outburst. He hadn't wanted to look at Lily too much, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him. He was glad he had turned around. Lily was dressed very out of character. He hadn't seen her dress that provocatively since she was in her twenties. But boy did she still look so incredibly sexy dressed like that!

When Lily asked him how she looked, all he could manage to do was lick his lips, his eyes wandering up and down her body as he answered. "You look lovely, Lil. So beautiful. I especially love the lily in your hair. That's a cute touch." He smiled at her, and gave her a little wink.

Lily smiled back. "Thank you." She gently ran her fingers over the lily. "I couldn't resist when I saw it in the store. It's not real, but it sure looks real, doesn't it?"

Serena nodded. "It really does!"

Rufus didn't dare glance at Lisa, who was working on the corn. Instead, he checked the oven timer to see how soon the garlic bread would be done. He couldn't stand to look at Lily anymore. He was afraid that if he did, it would show all over his face how much he liked what she was wearing. Even so, looking at Lily or not, he couldn't help but wonder what she was wearing _underneath_ that dress, and how much he would love to see it. He knew he shouldn't be thinking such thoughts, but there they were.

~BA~

Serena and Lily set the table, and the food was done right after. We put everything on the island, then grabbed some plates and cups, and piled our plates up with food, and filled our cups up with soda before heading back to the table to eat.

I quickly sat so that I was sitting next to Lisa. Serena had sat across from Lisa, so I figured that Dan would be the one to sit across from me. I was relieved. That would mean that Lily would have to sit at one of the ends. No doubt she'd pick the one beside me, but at least with her beside me, I wouldn't be forced to look straight ahead at her.

Unfortunately, Lily had other plans. She quickly slid into the seat in front of me. She smiled at Serena. "I want to sit next to my daughter." She looked over at Dan. "You don't mind, do you?"

Dan shook his head, and smiled. "It's fine. I'll just sit at the head of the table. That makes me the king of the table." He sat in between Serena and Lisa, at the right end of the table.

"Just remember, I'm still king of the loft!" I teased, trying desperately not to look at Lily even though she was now sitting directly in front of me just as I had feared.

"But you're king of my heart," Serena said to Dan with a smile. She then winced. "I'm sorry. That was cheesy, wasn't it?"

Dan laughed. "It was, but you're the queen of my heart too, so it works!"

Serena grinned, and they kissed sweetly on the lips.

"You guys are so sweet!" Lisa cooed.

Dan and Serena smiled.

"I'm going to say a quick prayer before we eat," Lisa said.

So, we all bowed our heads while she thanked The Lord for our food. Once she said, "Amen," we all dug in.

"It's a shame Eric and our son decided to spend Easter in Boston with our son's adoptive parents," Lily said to me.

I looked at her for just a second, then quickly looked away when I saw she was leaning toward me. "Yeah." I looked at Dan. "Dan, weren't you invited too?" I asked before taking a long swig of my Pepsi. I knew she was referring to Scott as "our son" on purpose. Of course he _is_ our son. But Lily was going out of her way to remind everyone—mainly Lisa I was sure—that she and I shared a child.

Dan nodded. "I was, but I wanted to spend Easter with you."

"What a good son I have," I said proudly. "Hopefully Scott will come down here next year."

We all enjoyed our lunch, and I started to relax again. Lily wasn't really talking to me too much. However, just as I was finishing my second helping of ham, I felt her bare foot rub up against my ankle. She rubbed it underneath my pant leg, up and down in a slow and gentle motion.

I made the mistake of looking at her. She smiled at me as she swung her golden cross back and forth on the chain. I couldn't help but notice how the cross hung low, right between her breasts. Her fingers gently grazed the sides of her breasts as she swung the necklae back and forth, back and forth.

I looked away. What was she up to? I finished off my ham, then started shoveling some mashed potatoes into my mouth.

We continued eating until it was time for dessert.

Lisa got up to get the dessert ready, and Serena got up to clear the table.

"I'll help!" Lily quickly offered. She stood up, and gathered her plate. She then leaned down from across the table to grab _my_ plate.

In my opinion, she leaned down way further than she needed to. She leaned down so far that I had a _very_ good view of her chest. She was wearing a while lace strapless bra that was just as low-cut as her dress. If the bra were to move over just an inch more, I'd be able to see her nipples. I silently kicked myself for silently willing the dress to move.

Lily stood back up, and headed to the kitchen before I could see anything more.

I quietly sighed in relief. As much as I wanted to see more, I knew that it definitely wasn't a good idea. So, instead, I joked to cover up my uneasiness. "I guess instead of a Happy Easter, I should be wishing everyone a 'Hoppy' Easter! Get it? Hop like the Easter Bunny?" I gave myself bunny ears, and bent my index and middle finger while twitching my nose.

Everyone groaned. Serena and Lisa both rolled their eyes.

I grinned. So it was a terrible joke, but at least it made things less awkward.

~BA~

Everything made for lunch was delicious. The blueberry pie Lisa had made for dessert was even more delicious. They all enjoyed a nice dessert together, and Lily behaved. Rufus was starting to feel comfortable again, and was even in a good enough mood to help clear the dishes. When he was done, he headed to the couch. He sat down to relax, and let his food settle.

A moment later, Lily sat down next to him, and moved herself so that they were so close they were touching.

Rufus would have moved over, but she had him pinned against the arm of the couch. "Lil, can you move over a bit? You're kind of squishing me, here," he said gently.

"Not until you agree to get together with me for our Monday date tomorrow. I already have something amazing planned," she said with a wink.

He looked over at her. "I don't know. I've been busy. I have had last minute wedding preparations and—"

Lily cut him off. "Come on, Rufus! It's just one day a week I'm asking of you. I know you chose Lisa over me, but does that mean we can't hangout as friends anymore?" She looked and sounded upset. "I miss you, and I feel you don't even want to be friends anymore."

Rufus looked her in the eyes. She looked like she was about to cry, which only made him hate himself. He wasn't William in the sense that he wasn't a cheater, but he also wasn't William in a sense that he wasn't able to break Lily's heart. He realized he was being silly. He was just going to have to get over the awkwardness. So he and Lily had kissed. So what? It hadn't been the first time they kissed since they had broken up. He couldn't keep avoiding her like the plaque. She may not be his wife, or even his girlfriend any longer, but she was still his friend. He knew it was about time he started acting like _her_ friend as well. "Don't be silly. I've just been busy. Of course I still want to be friends! How could I not? All right. Let's get together tomorrow. Is noon good?"

"How about eleven?" Lily asked, latching onto his arm. "It will give us more time for what I have planned."

Rufus raised an eyebrow. "And what do you have planned?"

Lily shook her head. "Oh no! If I couldn't know what you had planned, then you can't know what I have planned." She winked. "It's a secret."

Rufus grinned. "Fair enough."

Lily grinned too.

Rufus felt the warmth pool up in his stomach again. He really had missed hanging out with Lily, even though it had only been two weeks. Tomorrow would be fun, he knew. Whatever she had planned, he was looking forward to it.

~Begin Again~

Monday finally arrived, and Lily was excited for hers and Rufus' date. She was picking him up at the loft, then they were going to go to Chuck E. Cheese's. She figured today would be part two of their inner child. She had enjoyed their first inner child date more than she had thought she would. So, she figured, why not have a second one? And the activity she had planned for last would be the perfect ending to their date. Easter lunch had turned out just as she planned, and she hoped that this date would as well.

She arrived at the loft, and knocked on the door.

The door slid open a moment later, and there stood Lisa.

For a moment, Lily was afraid that Lisa had once again done something to stop the date. However, Lisa stepped back, inviting her in.

"Come on in. He's just finishing getting ready," Lisa said.

"Thank you," Lily said, stepping into the loft.

Lisa shut the door behind Lily, then turned to face her. "So, what do you have planned for today?"

"We're going to go to lunch, then take a walk. We'll probably catch a movie after our walk." Lily was willing to be civil to Lisa for Rufus' sake. Plus, Lisa was being surprisingly civil to her, so there was no need to start anything. Even so, civil or not, it didn't mean she had to share with Lisa anymore than she had to about her and Rufus' date.

"Sounds like it will be fun," Lisa said, though there was no emotion in her tone.

Lily smiled big. "Oh, I know it will be!" So badly, she wanted to add, "So deal with it, Bitch!" But, instead, she played it cool, and kept her mouth shut.

"I'm all ready to go!" Rufus said with a smile as he came out wearing a pair of brown suede pants, and an emerald green polo. "You look nice," he then added as he admired Lily's dark wash skinny jeans and white V-neck cable knit sweater. She wore grey, knee-high boots that had a wide, half inch lift at the heel. She wore a grey peacoat overtop, opened so that her outfit was visible.

"Thanks!" Lily said with a bright smile. She hoped Lisa was listening. She was sure she was.

Rufus slipped on his brown boots, and put on a black trench coat style coat, then walked over to Lisa, and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

Lily looked away, wanting to vomit up the bagel with cream cheese she had had for breakfast hours ago.

"I'll see you tonight. We'll go out for dinner," he said to Lisa.

Lisa smiled at him, and gently stroked his cheek. "All right. Sounds good. Have fun!" She kissed him on the lips again.

Rufus kissed her back, then broke the kiss, licking his lips. He smiled at her. "Thanks. Have a good day." He then walked over to Lily. "Ready to go?"

"You bet!" Lily smiled back. Boy was she ready to go.

~BA~

It was just a short walk to Chuck E. Cheese's. We made small talk, mainly just stating how Easter lunch had turned out pretty well.

When we arrived, we decided what we wanted to eat, then I paid for our pizza and drinks. Rufus had offered to pay, but, like he had paid when it was _his_ pick, I insisted on paying now that it was _my_ pick.

"I had a feeling you might pick Chuck E. Cheese's. Then again, I wasn't sure since you were so embarrassed over a tiny carousel ride," Rufus said with a grin.

I smiled, and latched onto his arm. "Well, I'll admit, I ended up having more fun than I thought I would that day. Which is why I decided to make this part two of our embrace your inner child day."

"See? I knew you'd have fun," Rufus said with a wink, the grin still on his lips.

"Yeah, yeah, so you were right. That happens once in a rare while," I said as we sat down at a booth in the games section.

"More than you care to admit," he said with a smirk.

I smirked too, and we took off our coats.

"Well, we have a while until our pizza arrives. What do you say we go play a few games?" I asked.

Rufus picked up the cup of tokens. "Well, we do have this big cup of tokens to use up. Why not?"

So we headed to play skee ball first.

"I beat you in bowling, I'll beat you in this!" Rufus said as he put a token into the machine. Nine balls came rolling out.

"We'll see. This isn't bowling. This is skee ball," I told him, putting my own token into my machine beside his.

"I happen to be very good at getting things into holes," Rufus joked, using an obvious innuendo.

"So is William, apparently," I quipped in return.

Rufus glanced at me.

I shrugged. "Sometimes you have to joke about things to keep you from going insane."

Rufus shook his head, but he had a smile on his face. He rolled his first ball. It didn't even get into the 10 point slot.

I smirked at him. "You're not used to getting _balls_ into holes."

Rufus laughed. "You're sick!"

I nodded. "Maybe so, but at least I know how to play the game." I then rolled my first ball, getting it into the 50 point slot. "Yes!" I said, secretly thrilled that I had pulled it off. It would have been extra embarrassing if I hadn't followed through with my confidant boasting about knowing how to play the game. I decided to take it one step further. I turned my back toward him, put my arms in the air, and wiggled my butt in a victory dance. I looked over my shoulder to see if he was watching. He was.

I smirked to myself, and grabbed another ball.

"If you're so good, let's see you get the ball into the hundred point slot!" Rufus said. He crossed his arms over his chest, and tapped his foot.

I nodded. "All right, I will!" But as I grabbed the ball, and prepared to roll it, I was unsure. It wasn't that hard to get it in the 50 point hole, but the hundred point holes were smaller, and to the sides—not the middle. It was more difficult. Even so, I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, then rolled the ball down the right side of the lane, hoping I had added the right amount of pressure. Sadly, the ball bounced off the hundred point hole, and went straight into the gutter.

Rufus smirked. "I guess you're not so great after all, are you?" He took another ball and rolled it down the aisle. He got it into the fifty-point slot this time. "Yes!" He said, turning around as I had done, and wiggling his butt at me.

You bet your ass I looked at his ass. I licked my lips, wanting to ravish him right there on the skee ball lane. Instead, I made a suggestion. "All right, Smart Ass. Let's see _you_ get the ball into the hundred point slot! The first one to get it in gets to give the other a dare."

Rufus turned around to face me, an eyebrow raised. "What kind of dare?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm sure we can think of something in a place like this." I gestured around the place.

Rufus thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "You're on!"

Our eyes met for a brief second before we both quickly turned back to our game, determined to be the first to get it in the hundred point slot.

Seven balls later, we were both out of skee balls, and one hundred point slot free.

"We both suck," Rufus stated. "I guess the bet's off since neither of us made it into the hundred point slot."

"Or, we have to give each other a dare," I said. I didn't want to embarrass myself, but I was willing to if it meant another memory for Rufus and I to have together.

"Or, the person with the highest score doesn't have to do a dare," Rufus said.

We both looked at our scores.

"Really?" Rufus asked in annoyance when he saw we both had a score of 140.

I shrugged. "We could always do a dare together," I suggested.

Rufus looked at me. "What did you have in mind?"

I looked around the room, then grinned as I got an idea. I looked at Rufus, the grin still on my face. "I have an idea."

He raised an eyebrow, and crossed his arms over his chest. "What?"

I told him.

He grinned even bigger. "It will be super embarrassing—worse than the carousel even. You know that, right?"

I nodded. "Of course!"

Our eyes locked, then Rufus spoke. "Let's do it!"

I squealed in delight, feeling like a little kid already.

We then grabbed hands, and headed for the object of our dare.

~BA~

"This is so embarrassing!" Rufus said as he rode on the tiny mechanical car.

"So is this," Lily said from the mechanical horse a couple feet away from him.

"This thing is so cramped, I barely fit!" Rufus complained. He nodded at Lily. "How come you got the horse again? At least you can straddle that. I have to cram myself in here next to a plastic mouse!" He looked over at the big plastic Chuck E. Cheese, who was sitting in the seat beside him.

Lily grinned at Rufus. "Because I'm a lady, and ladies get to pick first!"

"Because I'm a lady, and ladies get to pick first," Rufus mocked quietly to himself.

Lily rolled her eyes.

The rides stopped around the same time.

Lily hopped off her horse, and whipped out her iphone. She then turned the camera on, and aimed it at Rufus. "Just one picture for my personal use."

"Fine, but then I get one with my phone of you on the horse," he grumbled.

"Fine," Lily said. "Smile!"

Rufus surprisingly smiled.

"Put your arm around Chuck E. Cheese," Lily said, hiding a grin.

Rufus shot her a look. "Don't push it."

Lily giggled, and took the picture.

Rufus then tried to get out of the car. "I think I'm stuck!" he groaned.

Lily laughed, and walked over to help him out.

"Now it's your turn!" he said, walking over to the horse. He pat the back of it. "Saddle up!"

Lily giggled again, then remounted the horse. "You share your pic, I share mine," she warned him.

"I won't share it, don't worry," he said. "Smile!" he then said, taking her line.

She did as told, and he snapped the picture.

"We should get one by the skee ball machines too," she said.

"All right. Get off your high horse, and we'll go!" Rufus teased.

"Ha, ha," Lily said with an eye roll as she got off the horse.

Rufus grinned. "I always wanted to say that."

Lily snickered. "You're such a dork!" she said, playfully swatting him. She then latched onto his arm, and headed back over to the skee ball machines with him. She hoped the rest of the day would go as perfectly as it was going to far. She was sure it would. She smiled at the thought.

~Begin Again~

After getting pictures of each other pretending to play skee ball, Rufus and Lily played video games. They got pictures by their favorite games. Lily's favorite game was the Who wants to Be a Millionaire? game, and Rufus' was Pac-Man.

They played air hockey as well, but since it was made for kids, the table was so low, they had to bend down to play. Even so, they both got so into it, and were laughing so hard by the time Lily won the game.

"Yay! I finally beat you in something!" she said, smiling happily.

Rufus smiled too, for, even though he had lost, Lily's smile always made his heart palpitate, and his insides soar. Seeing Lily happy was better than winning to him. He took a picture of her holding up her air hockey mallet, her mouth open in a cheer.

Lily then took one of him holding the puck, frowning, while standing at his end of the table.

"Oh my gosh! Chuck E. Cheese!" Lily said. "We should get a picture with him!"

"Lil, no! That would be worse than riding in the tiny car!" Rufus whined.

Lily latched onto his arm, and batted her eyelashes. "Please?" She rested her head on his shoulder. "Just for the fun of it. No one but us ever has to see it."

Rufus looked at Lily's pleading eyes, and his heart melted. He could rarely say no to her—not when they were married, and not now." He sighed. "Oh, all right!"

Lily clapped her hands, and squealed like a kid.

"The things I do for you," Rufus grumbled. He smiled anyway.

Lily kissed his cheek, then they had a female employee take a picture of them with Chuck E. Cheese. Chuck E. Cheese put his arms around them, and they put their arms around him.

"I swear we're not insane," Rufus said to the employee and Chuck E. Cheese after the picture was taken.

The employee grinned, and Chuck E. Cheese shrugged.

"Our food is probably here by now," Lily said as she put her phone away.

Rufus nodded, and put his phone away as well. "Let's go eat. All that game playing made me work up an appetite!"

Lily nodded. "Me too."

So, they headed back to their table, where the pizza was indeed waiting. They grabbed their cups, and went and got their sodas, then they came back to the table, sat down, and enjoyed their lunch.

Twenty minutes later, after good conversation and four slices of pizza each, they prepared to leave.

"Wait! There's one more thing I want to do before we leave," Lily said.

"What's that?" Rufus smiled at her in anticipation.

She got up out of her seat, walked over to him, and grabbed his hand. "Follow me."

Rufus did as told, taking her hand, and letting her pull him up then drag him over to the tiny photo booth that took a picture then sketched the picture of you.

"This!" Lily informed him.

Rufus laughed. "All right."

They put the token in, and arranged the camera just right. Then, they pressed the button, and posed with their arms around each other, and their heads resting against the other's head, smiles on their faces.

They watched the screen as it showed their picture being sketched. When it was finished, they admired it.

"That's actually pretty good for a machine!" Rufus said; impressed.

"Let's get one more so we can both have a copy!" Lily suggested.

Rufus nodded. "All right."

They put another token in. Then, Lily kissed Rufus' cheek as the camera took the picture. Then, machine began to sketch their picture.

When it was done, Lily smiled as they admired it. "This one's mine." She held it close to her heart.

"I like _this_ one. I can see your beautiful face," he said, looking at the first one again. He then smiled at her. "Where to next?"

Lily bat her eyelashes at him. "You'll see!" She smiled. "Let's go get our coats."

So, they went and got their coats.

Once they had exited the restaurant, Lily latched onto his arm. "We'll have to take a cab. We're going to Central Park. I won't tell you what we'll be doing there."

"Walking off the four slices of pizza we just ate and all the soda we just drank?" Rufus teased. He pat his stomach for emphasis.

Lily smirked. "That too, but not just that."

"Then what?" Rufus asked, eager to know what they were gonna be doing.

"You'll find out soon enough," Lily said with a smile as she hailed a cab.

Rufus pouted. "Now I know why you don't like surprises," he grumbled as he got into the cab with her.

"Now I know how you feel when you make me wait," Lily shot back, a proud grin on her face.

Rufus rolled his eyes, but secretly loved his banter with her.

When they arrived at the park, Lily paid and tipped the driver, then took Rufus's hand, and led him straight to the playground.

Rufus raised an eyebrow at her. "The playground? Really?"

Lily shrugged. "Why not? As a kid, didn't you just love playing on the playground?"

Rufus shrugged. "I can't remember. It was so long ago," he joked.

Lily rolled her eyes, and grabbed his arm, pulling him off toward the slide. "Come on. It will be fun!"

"I created a monster!" Rufus said as he followed behind her.

"Ah, quit your whining!" Lily teased as she climbed up the ladder.

"I can't believe the same woman who didn't want to ride a carousel is now taking me to Chuck E. Cheese's and riding on the rides, and also taking me to the park, and wanting to go down the slide!" Rufus shook his head in disbelief.

"And I can't believe the man who loves to ride carousels and play with toy helicopters doesn't want to do something as simple as going down a slide," Lily said as she sat at the top of the slide.

"Touché," Rufus said as he watched Lily slide down the slide. He took a picture.

"Wee! That was fun!" Lily said with a laugh as she got off the slide.

Rufus raised an eyebrow at her. "Really, Lil? 'Wee?' You're really embracing this whole inner child thing, aren't you?"

Lily laughed. "Shut up and slide!"

Rufus playfully sang the line of Rihanna's "Shut Up and Drive" only replacing "drive" with the word slide. Then, he slid down the slide.

"You're such a dweeb," Lily said, using a word she hadn't used since her late teens or early twenties. She snapped a picture of him.

Rufus stood up, and turned to her. "But you love me for it."

Lily reached out, and stroked some hair out of his face. "More than you'll ever know." She kissed his cheek, then ran off. "Come swing with me!"

Rufus laughed, and ran after her. When he got there, he took the swing next to Lily's. Lily was already sitting on her swing.

"I bet you I can swing higher than you can," she said.

"You're on!" Rufus replied.

And so, for the next five minutes, they swung higher and higher, trying to out swing the other. Finally, they both gave up.

"All right, we tie. Let's jump off," Lily said.

Rufus looked at her. "You're crazy!"

"Aw, come on! We're not _that_ high," Lil said, referring to their swings.

"You must actually be high if you think I'm jumping off this thing!" Rufus joked.

"Aw, come on! Take my hand. We'll jump off together," Lily said.

"I can still here my mother's voice. 'Would you jump off a cliff just because your friend asked you to?'" Rufus joked, imitating his mother's voice.

Lily grabbed his hand, not willing to take no for an answer. "On the count of three we jump."

Rufus sighed. "Fine. But if I break anything, you're paying the medical bills. I forgot to pay my insurance this month."

Lily rolled her eyes. "One. Two. Three!"

They both jumped off the swing, and landed in a heap on the ground—flat on their faces.

"Ow," Rufus groaned.

Lily groaned. "Okay, it was harder than I remembered. Come to think of it, maybe we _were_ too high after all."

"Ya think?" Rufus grumbled.

They rolled onto their backs, then looked at each other. Lily was the first to grin, then Rufus couldn't help grinning too. Then, they then burst into laughter.

They then took pictures with their iphones of them lying on the ground. They took a picture of their now empty swings as well.

"All right. I'm sorry. Bad idea. Let's get some ice cream, then move onto my last plan for the day," Lily said, putting her phone back into her small gray cross body bag.

Rufus groaned. "If you help me up." He stuffed his phone into his pocket.

Lily got up, then held him up. "Sorry," she winced.

"It's okay. I didn't break anything, and neither did you. It's all good," Rufus said.

They grinned at each other, then walked over to the ice cream place, which wasn't that far. Rufus ordered rocky road, which had always been his favorite, and Lily ordered vanilla, which was always _her_ favorite.

"Even after all these years we still like the same ice cream," Rufus noted.

Lily nodded, and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment. "We're pretty predictable, huh?"

Rufus nodded. "But I wouldn't have it any other way."

Lily smiled up at him. "Me neither!" She kissed his cheek. "To my place for a movie!" She then added before going back to eating her ice cream.

He went back to eating his ice cream as well while they headed back to Lily's place. He didn't know what movie she had in mind, but he didn't care. He was just enjoying spending time with Lily.

~Begin Again~

"So, what are we watching? Rufus asked as they arrived at Lily's and removed their coats.

Lily grinned, and grabbed the DVD off the island. She held it up to him.

Rufus scrunched his eyebrows at it. "_The Little Mermaid_? Really?"

Lily shrugged. "Why not? It's my guilty pleasure. It's my favorite kid movie of all time. I figure, why not watch it today since today is another inner child date?"

Rufus sighed. "All right. But only for you!"

Lily kissed his cheek. "Thank you. Would you like anything to eat or drink while we watch?"

Rufus shook his head. "I better not. After all we ate so far, I'll be lucky to get my dinner down."

Lily laughed. "Good point!" She nodded toward the stairs. "Come on. Let's go to the bedroom and watch it."

"The bedroom? Why not down here?" Rufus asked in surprise.

"Well, I figured it's nicer to be able to stretch out when we're watching a movie. We wouldn't be able to do that very well with two of us on the couch," Lily explained.

Rufus nodded. "Good point!"

"Anyway, I don't know about you, but, when I was a kid, I loved watching TV and movies in bed. Heck, I still do!" Lily said as they headed up the stairs.

Rufus laughed. "Me too."

They headed into the bedroom, and Lily turned the television on. "Make yourself at home," she said with a smile, her back turned toward Rufus as she popped the DVD in. So far, everything was working according to plan. She grabbed the remote, then headed over to the bed with Rufus. He already had his boots off, so she followed suit, and took her boots off as well. She then hopped into bed next to him. She smiled over at him. "You're on your old side."

He blushed. "I didn't want to take your side from you. Wait. You did clean these sheets since you and William were on them, didn't you?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Gosh, yes! Heck, I almost thought of getting a new bed entirely, but then I remembered your and my memories on this same bed."

Rufus looked to the screen. "We better start this so I'm back in time for dinner."

Lily smirked, and started the movie. "Sounding like a kid again," she teased.

Rufus grinned at her. "Shut up!"

Lily grinned too.

They then began watching the movie.

At first, Rufus joked about how corny the movie was. He even mocked certain parts. But, eventually, he grew quiet as he watched the movie, apparently mesmerized.

Lily grinned, loving that he was apparently loving the movie as much as she was. She cuddled closer to him, her head against his shoulder, had her hand over his chest.

He placed an arm around her in return.

Lily sighed contently. This was going just as she had pictured it would go.

Lily never wanted the movie to end, but eventually, it was coming to an end. When it got to the part where Ariel hugged her father at her wedding, Rufus started to cry. He even had tears streaming down his cheeks.

Lily smirked. She secretly pulled out her iphone, turned the camera on, and put it on video. She filmed what they were watching, then filmed Rufus crying.

"It's so touching!" he said, unaware that she was filming him.

Lily tried not to giggle. She stopped recording, then hid her phone until the movie was over.

When the movie finally ended, Lily turned the DVD player and the TV off, then pulled out her phone. "So, I see you enjoyed the movie after all," she said.

He looked at her. "I did. It was better than I thought it would be, I'lll admit."

Lily nodded. "I know." She then hit play on the video, and showed him the screen.

Rufus' face paled as he watched the video. "I didn't see you taking that."

Lily smirked. "I know! I bet you Serena and Dan would love to see how 'touching' you found _The Little Mermaid_ to be." She got the video ready to share.

Rufus paled even more. "You wouldn't!"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't I?"

"I have that picture of you on the horse!" he warned.

"I have a picture of you in a tiny car next to Chuck E. Cheese. I have more on you than you have on me," Lily reminded him.

"Oh yeah? Well, I have a picture of you with Chuck E. Cheese himself!" Rufus said smugly.

Lily shrugged. "We were both in it. You'd embarrass yourself as well."

"Well, I did it for you," Rufus said.

Lily shrugged. "You're still in it."

"Give me that!" Rufus reached for the incriminating-evidence-holding phone.

Lily quickly pulled it away. "Uh, uh, uh!" she teased with a smile.

"Come on, Lil! Give it to me!" Rufus reached over her to grab it.

She laughed, and pulled it away again.

He straddled her, and pressed her wrists to the bed.

Lily didn't struggle. In fact, this was just what she needed to put the final part of her plan into action. She hadn't even planned the video part. She had just gotten lucky. Or, rather, she hoped she was about to.

"You have me pinned," she breathed. She started deep into his eyes. He was so close to her. Their lips were just about touching.

Rufus looked her in the eyes, and licked his lips.

Lily licked her lips as well. "So _now_ what are you going to do about it?" she then asked, her voice breathy. She lowered her eyes.

Rufus stared at her for a moment, and licked his lips again. Then, ever so slowly, he leaned down and removed the last few inches left between their lips.

Lily sighed with contentment as they kissed. Mission accomplished.

~Begin Again~

Rufus knew he should stop kissing Lily. It wasn't right. He was an engaged man. But if it was so wrong, then why did it feel so right? he wondered. He knew the answer. His heart belonged to Lily. He had no business marrying Lisa when Lily was clearly his heart's choice.

After a moment more of kissing Lily, he rolled off of her, and onto his back. He looked up at the ceiling. "Obviously, being just friends doesn't work for us."

Lily turned on her side, facing him, and propping her head up on her hand. "So, the question still remains—what are you going to do about it?"

Rufus looked at her. "I think it's obvious. I'm going to have to break off the engagement with Lisa." He turned to face her, and gently stroked her cheek. "My heart belongs with you."

"Oh, Rufus, you have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that!" Lily said, tears of happiness welling up in her eyes.

Rufus' eyes lowered. "Lil..." He took her face between his hands, and they kissed some more.

Lily ran her hands underneath his shirt. She brushed her lips against his right ear. "Make love to me, Rufus. Please?"

Rufus moaned. He wanted to. He wanted too so much he felt he would burst if he didn't! But he couldn't. Not yet. He kissed her one more time before he spoke, the back of his hand gently stroking her cheek. "For now, we have to date in private, and we can't make love. Not until I find a way to break it to Lisa. She's very fragile right now, and I do still love her. Granted not in the same way I love you, and not as much as I love you, but I do love her. I can't just break it off with her just like that."

Lily sighed. "Why not? Sometimes you just have to do it quick—like ripping off a bandaid. The sooner you break it off with her, the sooner she can start to heal."

Rufus shook his head. "Not with Lisa. Lil, she tried to drug me. She's very fragile right now. I'm afraid that if I just break it off with her without warning, without easing her into it, she'll snap."

Lily raised an eyebrow at him, and smirked. "How are you going to ease her into it? Pick fights with her, then finally break it off for good?"

Rufus shook his head. "I just need the right time to tell her, okay? Please, just give me some time to find the right moment. I promise it won't take long."

Lily snorted. "It better not. You're supposed to marry the girl in three weeks."

Rufus nodded. "I'll tell her soon." He kissed Lily sweetly on the lips. "I promise."

Lily smiled, and nuzzled her cheek against his hand. "All right. But it's going to be so hard not making love with you."

Rufus moaned. "Tell me about it!" He kissed her again. "I better get going." He got up off the bed.

"When can I see you again?" Lily asked.

Rufus paused in the doorway, and looked over his shoulder. "Lisa has a wedding gown fitting, then lunch with Serena tomorrow. Stop by the gallery at lunch. We'll go out."

Lily smiled. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Rufus smiled as well. "Me too." He turned to leave, but Lily called him again.

"Rufus?"

He turned to look at her. "Yes?"

She held out her arms. "One more kiss?"

He grinned, and ran over to her. He kissed her passionately. While he kissed her, he reached around her, and grabbed her phone. He then broke the kiss, and stepped away from the bed, looking for the video to delete it. It was nowhere to be found. He looked at Lily, who was grinning at him.

"Gotcha!" she said with a wink. "I already deleted it when I pretended I was gonna send it."

Rufus grinned, and set her phone down on the night stand. "You 'got' me, all right!" He kissed her softly on the lips.

She held him close, and kissed him in return.

He then broke the kiss, and licked his lips. "See you tomorrow." He headed for the door.

He looked over his shoulder before leaving. Lily was shaking her head and smiling. He grinned at her and winked, then left the room, then soon after the apartment.

He sighed as he got out into the cool air. Now he had to break it off with Lisa. How he was going to do that, well, he hadn't a clue in hell.


	16. A Tale of Two Lovers

_**Begin Again **_

_**Episode 16: A Tale of Two Lovers**_

_ Their hands roamed the other's body from top to bottom, then back up again as their tongues explored the inner cavities of the other's mouth. Their bodies glistened with sweat, but neither of them noticed. All either of them could concentrate on was their undeniable lust for each other. Their need to have the other before they exploded. _

_ The sheets were in a crumpled mess at their feet from all the tossing and turning they'd done as they fought for the dominance of being on top. In the end, Rufus won out. He pinned Lily's hands against the bedsheets, and murmured into her ear, "You're mine now." He took her left earlobe into his mouth, and gently scraped his teeth against it. _

_ Lily tangled her fingers in his sweat-glistened hair, and brought her lips to his left ear. "_All_ yours," she purred. "So take me. Take me now, Rufus."_

_ Rufus didn't need to be told twice. In an instant, he was making love to her, making parts of her feel good she never knew she had. _

_ Lily moaned, her toes curling in ecstasy, and her fingers grasping the sheets, for his hands were no longer pinning her wrists down, but rather placed over her thighs as she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist._

_ He nipped at the skin of her neck, making his mark, and therefore marking his territory. "_Mine_," he growled._

_ Lily moaned again, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as he took her harder, as if he wanted every crevice of her body to feel the pleasure which equaled to the amount of love and desire he had for her. If that is what he wanted, well, he got it, for currently, Lily couldn't remember what _not_ feeling pleasure felt like._

_ "Come on, Lil, let go. I'm almost there, but I won't let myself get there before you do," Rufus practically growled into her ear._

_ Lily gasped to catch her breath from another deliciously pleasurable thrust, then took Rufus' face between her hands, and looked him deep into the eyes. "Earn it," she ordered._

_ "Huh?" he asked, a dazed and confused look on his face._

_ "If you want me to go first, then you're gonna have to make me. Like I said—earn it," Lily purred before licking a slow, wet trail up Rufus' left ear._

_ Rufus' eyes narrowed at her, and then darkened in a lust-filled kind of way. He licked his lips. "You want it, well, Baby, you're going to get it!"_

_ Lily threw her head back and moaned again, her eyes rolling to the back of her head yet again as he thrust into her hard after having almost pulled completely out of her. Then, he repeated, this time, letting his fingers play with her nipples._

_ Lily couldn't stop her moans. They came out like a chant. And forget about getting her eyes to roll forward again. It wasn't gonna happen. Not until after she got her release, which, at the rate Rufus was going, wouldn't be long._

_ It took less than a minute more before she was gripping his hair as if it were her only floatation device and she was stuck in the middle of the ocean. She screamed his name so loudly, she was sure everyone on their floor could hear. Her whole body was shaking, and she was sweating from head to toe, only vaguely conscious of Rufus' screaming out in ecstasy as he reached his own very forceful climax. _

_ It took quite a while before either of them could even catch their breath, let alone move. Eventually, Rufus pulled out of Lily, and threw himself down onto his back beside her. "Wow," he breathed, "that was incredible!"_

_ "You can say that again!" Lily said, still slightly panting. "In all the years we were married, you never made me feel that good. And trust me—you made me feel _really_ good when we were married." She sighed, and rolled over onto her left side to face him. She pushed a sweaty strand of hair out of his eyes. "But I have to say, Rufus, this time you outdid yourself."_

_ Rufus grinned. "I don't know. I think I could do better."_

_ Lily raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. I can't just take your word for it, you know. If you think you can do better, then I'm going to have to see—or rather feel—some rock solid proof." Her right hand roamed down his body. "And I do mean, 'rock solid.'" _

_ Rufus moaned. He was sure prepared for such proof. That was for sure. He grinned at her, and licked his lips. "Well, then I better get started right away, shouldn't I? After all, I can't let you think I'm a liar."_

_ Lily nodded, and moved closer to him. "I guess so," she purred into his right ear as she gently stroked his cheek. "Only this time," she purred, "_I_ get to be the one on top." She then started kissing and gently nipping at his neck, marking some territory of her own. She straddled him._

_ Rufus licked his lips, his hands moving to rest over her butt. "You better hang on tight then," he purred. "Because it's going to be a bumpy ride."_

Beep, beep, beep, beep!

Lily woke with a start as the sound of her alarm clock ruined her otherwise perfect dream. She sighed, and with a groan, flipped the switch to off. "Why?" she cried. "Just when it was getting even better."

She placed her hand over the pillow that would be Rufus' if he were there, and sighed when she found it empty. She knew it had only been a dream—a very hot dream, but a dream. Even so, there was a tiny part of her that secretly hoped that he had crawled into her bed in the middle of the night and decided to spend the night with her. However, the pillow was as cold as the reality that he was probably still sleeping beside Lisa. She wondered if he was sleeping with her. She didn't want to think about it. Then again, even if he _was_ sleeping with Lisa, she was sure it wasn't as good or as hot as the sex she herself had just had with him in her dream. Lisa wasn't capable of even knowing what to do to have such great sex. After all, the kind of sex she had just had with Rufus in her dream couldn't be leaned by watching a sex tape.

Lily laughed at the thought, her lone voice filling the empty bedroom. Lisa was a hot mess. She never had a chance with Rufus when Lily still existed. Lily knew that.

With another groan, Lily slid out of bed. She had to get showered and ready for the day. Last night, she had lain in bed, trying to think of ways to hurry Rufus along in the breaking it off with Lisa department. She hadn't been really fully satisfied with any of her ideas. But now, thanks to one smoking hot dream, she knew exactly what she was going to do. Sure he had said no sex until he broke it off with Lisa, but she didn't think that was set in stone. Heck, even if it was, he'd sure have a good incentive for breaking it off with Lisa—and quickly at that. For Lily was pretty sure that, when it came to sex, Lisa couldn't hold a candle to her. Lily smiled to herself. Just like a lot of other things.

Humming a happy tune, Lily dug into her underwear drawer and pulled out her sexiest, most revealing lingerie she owned. Then, she headed to the bathroom to pee, shower, then put on the lingerie. Rufus was going to be putty in her hands by the end of the day if she had anything to do with it!

~Begin Again~

Rufus lie in bed with Lisa sleeping beside him, her arms wrapped tightly around him, and her head on his chest.

He felt rather shamed of himself. He had gone home last night fully intending on finding a way to gently break it to Lisa that the wedding was off—that _they_ were off. But when they had gone to dinner, she was dressed so sexy, and she had been so sweet.

They had had a wonderful dinner and dessert, and when she suggested that the go home for a "second dessert," he simply couldn't say no. However, now that he had slept with her, he felt dirty. Now he felt like he was not only cheating on Lisa, but Lily as well. But how would he have explained it to Lisa that he didn't want to have sex with her? Actually, he _had_ wanted to have sex with her. That is what confused him. He thought that now that he finally admitted his feelings for Lily, he wouldn't have the desire to sleep with Lisa anymore, but apparently, he still did.

He sighed as he watched the gentle rise and fall of Lisa's body as she slept. He did still love Lisa. He loved Lily more, yes. But that didn't mean he could just stop loving Lisa. It didn't work that way. And the thought of breaking her heart, well, let's just say he wasn't eager to do it. He knew he had to, but he just couldn't figure out when or how to do it without crushing her! If he hurt Lisa, he knew he was going to hurt himself as well. And if he was all depressed and mopey, he knew he'd be no good to Lily. Yet, he knew it wouldn't be fair to Lisa, Lily, or even himself if he were to stay with Lisa. He sighed. It all seemed like one big lose-lose situation.

Lisa stirred, then opened her eyes. She smiled up at him. "Good morning, handsome!"

He smiled down at her, and gently stroked her bare back. "Good morning, Beautiful!" He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. "How did you sleep?"

She smiled dreamily. "Wonderfully!" She grinned up at him. "Thanks to you." She kissed his chest, then pulled free from his arms, sat up, and stretched. "You were fantastic last night!" She looked at him. "It put me right to sleep after."

"Just so long as it wasn't during!" Rufus joked.

Lisa giggled. "Don't worry—definitely not during. That would be like trying to sleep through an earthquake!" She grinned, then smirked. "A very pleasurable earthquake." She winked at him.

Rufus laughed. "True." He winked at her in return. "You were pretty fantastic yourself, Beautiful!" He pulled her close, and kissed her temple. "I know what you mean about sleeping well after. There's nothing like amazing love making to make you tired."

Lisa nodded. "You got that right!" She climbed out of bed, then slipped on her robe. "Why don't you go take a shower and get ready for work, and I'll cook you some breakfast? Waffles of course!" She said with a smirk and a wink before he could ask.

He grinned at her. "You know me so well." He climbed out of bed on her side, then stood up, pulled her close, and kissed her left temple.

She grinned at him. "I better! After all, I'm going to be your wife in less than a month!" She winked at him.

He grinned, feeling his stomach drop a bit. "Very true!" He kissed the tip of her nose, causing her to giggle.

"Ya Silly!" she said, messing his hair up, then quickly kissing him on the lips. "Now go!" She gently pat his butt, nudging him toward the bathroom. "Shower and get ready. I'll go make that breakfast now."

Rufus nodded. "I'm going, I'm going!" He headed for the bathroom.

Once he got into the bathroom, he closed the door, then rested his back against it, and sighed. He had to break it off with Lisa before things got out of hand. He would! Right after work.

~Begin Again~

Lily hummed a happy tune to herself as she entered Rufus' art gallery right on time. She was happy to see he was just finishing up with a customer.

A couple minutes later, the customer had paid for her painting, and left.

Rufus then headed over to the door, and put up the, _Out to lunch! Be back at 1_ sign. Then, he turned around, and smiled at Lily. "Good afternoon, my Love."

Lily set the brown bag she was carrying down on the counter, then ran over to Rufus, took him into her arms, and kissed him passionately. "Good morning, my Love. How has your day been so far?"

Rufus moaned, and hungrily kissed her back for a moment before responding. "It's going pretty well! I sold a few paintings I'd been wanting to sell for a while." He grinned at her, and kissed her yet again.

Lily kissed him back, then broke the kiss. "And, did you break it off with Lisa?"

Rufus blushed, and shook his head. "Not yet! But I plan to after work. I promise."

"Good!" Lily said, pulling him in for another kiss. She had hoped he'd have done it by now, but she knew deep down that he hadn't even before he told her he hadn't.

"So, what's in the bag?" Rufus asked, breaking the kiss, and nodding toward the brown bag that Lily had set on the counter.

Lily smiled, and picked the bag up. "I figured we'd just eat in the back room instead of going somewhere to eat."

"Okay..." Rufus sounded unsure. "What did you bring to eat?"

Lily nodded toward the back room. "Let's go back there, and I'll show you!"

"Okay," Rufus said, still sounding unsure as he led Lily to the back room, which of course was none other than in the back of the gallery, hence its name.

When they got there, Lily stepped in first. "Shut and lock the door," she said to Rufus without looking back at him.

"Why? No one is going to come in here. I have the front door locked and the sign up." Rufus sounded amused, but he shut and locked the door anyway.

Lily shrugged. "I just like the secure feeling. After all, one can never be too careful in New York City—especially in Brooklyn."

"True I guess," Rufus said, his tone showing he was detecting a weird vibe.

"Do you have a blanket in here we can eat on?" Lily asked. "I didn't want to carry one around."

Rufus nodded, and pulled out a blanket from a shelf against the wall. He then laid it down for them before sitting down on it.

Lily sat down in front of him. "So, in answer to your earlier question, I packed us both a turkey and American cheese sandwich on white, potato salad for me and chips for you since I know you don't like potato salad, and blueberry yogurt with granola to have something healthy in the mix." She grinned. "Oh, and I got us each a bottle of milk since you shouldn't be drinking on the job." She winked at him.

He rolled his eyes. "Come on! It's not like I'm a police officer or a doctor."

"Or an airline pilot," Lily chimed in as she passed him his food and drink.

Rufus nodded. "That too!"

"Still, one should always be professional when working with the public," Lily said.

Rufus nodded. "I forgot how prim and proper you can be."

"Oh, stop! Just eat," Lily said, a playful smile on her face. "And don't worry. I didn't make any of this stuff. I picked it up at the deli on the way over."

"Good!" Rufus said.

Lily stuck her tongue out at him.

Rufus grinned and winked at her, then took a bite of his sandwich. "Aren't you going to take your coat off?"

Lily shook her head. "Not right now. I'm a little cold."

"I have the heat on," Rufus said, an eyebrow raised.

"Well, I get cold easier than you do," Lily said.

Rufus shrugged. "Then you should have worn something heavier than that trench coat." He nodded toward Lily's beige trench coat.

Lily shrugged his words off. "I'm fine."

Rufus shrugged again. "Suit yourself!" He unscrewed the twisty cap on his milk bottle, and took a sip.

Together they ate, having a nice, flirty conversation. They kept Lisa out of their conversation, which Lily was grateful for, and was sure that Rufus was also grateful for.

When lunch was over, Rufus looked in the bag again. "What? No dessert?" he asked, looking back up at her with a pout.

Lily nodded. "Oh, I brought dessert."

"But there was nothing in the bag," Rufus said, his eyes scrunched in confusion. "Did they forget to put it in?"

Lily shook her head. "They didn't put anything in. The only one who needs to put something in is you."

Rufus raised an eyebrow again, the confusion clear on his face. "Huh?"

Lily smirked, then stood up. "You know, it _is_ getting hot in here now. I think I'll take my coat off." She undid the tie, then let the trench coat slip off her shoulders and fall to the floor, revealing the completely see-thru black mesh bra and panty set she had on underneath. It was the only thing she had on underneath. Well, that and the black thigh-high see-thru black stockings with black guarders. And of course the black pumps on her feet. She wore nothing other than that.

Rufus looked at her, his mouth agape. Now he knew why she didn't want to eat anywhere else. She didn't have much on underneath her trench coat! "Wow," was all he could manage to say.

"I figured I'd be your dessert, and you could be mine." She slowly sauntered over to him, sat in his lap, draped her arms over his shoulders, and brought her lips to his right ear. "So, what do you say?" She purred. "Are you hungry for me, Darling?"

Rufus' moan was all the response she needed.

With a smile, Lily unbuttoned his dress shirt, and let it slip off his shoulders. Then, she pulled off his V-neck teeshirt he had on underneath, and let it slip tot he floor with his dress shirt. She kissed over his nipples, and down his chest.

He then pulled her back up his body, and practically crushed his lips against hers in a passionate kiss.

She moaned, and pulled him down with her onto the blanket.

She and Rufus both pushed the lunch containers out of the way and off the blanket, neither one noticing the mess they had just made on the floor by tossing all their trash onto it.

They then lay back on the blanket, Rufus on top of Lily as they kissed passionately, and their hands roamed the other's body.

Lily kissed up the side of Rufus' neck, and murmured into his right ear, "Once you break it off with her, we can do this whenever and wherever you would like. I promise you, despite what William may think, I'm _incredible_ in bed. You know, I remember what you like. I'd never let myself forget. Do you remember what _I_ like?"

Rufus moaned in response. "You know I do. It's one of those things that comes back to you once put back into the situation."

"Or when you're fantasizing about it. Do you ever fantasize about me, Rufus?" Lily moved them so that she was now the one on top. "Because I fantasize about you all the time. Even before we got back together I'd think of what it would be like to kiss you." She kissed his lips. "All over." She began kissing down his chest, first licking his nipples with just the tip of her tongue before moving her kisses down to his stomach. She dipped her tongue into his navel. "I know you loved to be kissed here." She kissed his lips again. "Here." She kissed his cheeks. "Here especially." She kissed down his neck, gently nipping at the skin as she did so. "Here of course." She kissed down his chest, then licked a slow, wet trail down it, her eyes on his as she slowly made her way down his chest. "And of course, your favorite place to be kissed..." She smiled naughtily at him before undoing his belt, then unlatching the buttons of his khakis.

Rufus gently moaned. "Lil..."

Lily moaned too, then took his zipper between her teeth, slowly pulling it down.

"Lily, you know we can't. Not until I break it off with Lisa," Rufus said weakly.

Lily looked up at him with big, not-so-innocent eyes. "I'm not about to mount you, Rufus." She rolled her eyes and smiled. "I just want to kiss you. There's nothing wrong with _that_, is there?" She bat her eyelashes, trying her best to look innocent, but knowing that Rufus would see right through her. He always did.

"Lil..." Rufus tried again, but it was weak. He didn't protest any more.

Lily smiled a self-satisfied smile, and pulled his khakis down in one swift motion. She then looked back up at him. "If it will make you feel any better, I'll keep these on." She snapped the band of his black Calvin Klein briefs. She then smirked. "Well, they won't make you feel _better_ keeping them on, but I know they'll make you feel more comfortable going behind Lisa's back." She ran her hands slowly down his thighs.

Rufus licked his lips and moaned, his eyes on her, never leaving her.

She looked into his eyes again, and smirked. "Don't worry, Rufus. Even with them on, I'm still going to make you feel so good. Better than Lisa's ever made you feel, I'm sure." Before Rufus could respond, the licked her lips, then bent her head down, and slowly kissed him over his polyester-clad groin.

Immediately, Rufus moaned. "Lil... You really shouldn't be..." He didn't finish his sentence.

Lily stopped kissing him just long enough to look up at him, bat her long mascara-bathed lashes, and ask, "Do you want me to stop?"

Rufus didn't respond, he just looked longingly down at the spot where Lily was no longer kissing. He bit his bottom lip.

Lily smiled knowingly. "That's what I thought," she said before going back to kissing him. She ran her hands down his thighs as she continued to kiss him. At one point, she left her tongue lick down the already damp fabric. She was turning him on. She knew it. All the signs were there. "See? I'm fantastic. William didn't know what he was talking about, did he?" She looked expectantly up at Rufus, batting her eyelashes in anticipation of his answer. As she did so, she gently massaged him over his underwear, trying her best to show no emotion as she did so. She wanted to put out a message to him that she could please him with no effort at all. She bet Lisa had to work hard to please him. After all, Lisa didn't have the sexual history with him that Lily did.

Rufus started at her blankly for just the briefest of moments. Then, before Lily even saw it coming, he groaned, and moved them in one quick motion so that he was now the one back on top.

Lily grinned. She had wanted to get him all worked up, and she succeeded. She could hardly wait to see what would happen next!

~Begin Again~

In an instant, Rufus found himself kissing Lily hard on the mouth, his tongue slipping into her mouth, forcefully fighting for dominance with her tongue. He knew this was wrong. He so should not be doing this when he was still engaged to Lisa. This is something William would do. But he just couldn't help himself. Lily looked so incredibly sexy in her lingerie. He had forgotten how good it actually felt to see her in person in it. Sure she had filled his thoughts many nights wearing lingerie or less, but to see her in person like that was an entirely different story.

He let his hands roam her soft, perfect body. She was still as thin as she was in her twenties, and he knew that not a lot of women could say that. Her stomach was flat and sculpted, her legs went on for days, and her breasts were so supple and perfect. He wanted to rip her bra off and take them into his mouth immediately.

"You never answered my question, Rufus," Lily purred, breaking him from his thoughts. She took his face between her hands, and looked him in the eyes. "Do you ever fantasize about me?" She batted those long lashes, and Rufus felt his groin start to stir. She certainly wasn't making it easy for him not to sleep with her. Though, he was sure that that was her plan all along. "Of course I do," he admitted. "I never wanted to divorce in the first place."

"I know. I was such an idiot to ever have divorced you. But now we can make up for lost time. What do you fantasize about doing to me, Rufus? Hm?" She nipped down he side of his neck. Then kissed back up it before purring into his left ear, "Show me." She took the lobe between her teeth, and then gently scraped her teeth off of it.

Rufus moaned. He supposed a little kissing wouldn't be _too_ much of a betrayal. Though, kisses anywhere other than the lips was crossing a dangerous line. Still, he had to do _something_ before he exploded. Sex was out of the question, so this was the next best thing.

He cleared his through. "Well, first, I want to see these." He ran his hands up underneath her bra cups.

Lily smirked, and raised an eyebrow. "Want to or need to?"

Rufus looked from her eyes to her chest, to back to her eyes again. "Need to," he confirmed. He looked back down at her chest, and hungrily licked his lips.

"Well, then, by all means..." Lily lifted her torso up. "The latch is in the back." She winked at him.

Rufus kept his eyes locked with hers as he blindly reached behind her and undid the latch. He then slowly slid the straps off her shoulders, kissing her bare shoulders as he did so. Then, he let the bra slip to the floor.

Lily smiled. "That's a good boy." She kissed his nose and tossed the bra aside, then lay back down. "_Now_ what do you want to do to me?" She looked up at him with big, flirtatious eyes. She licked her lips.

Rufus looked back down at her now bare chest, his mouth watering. He could think of a_ lot_ of things he wanted to do now, all of which were things he knew Lisa most definitely wouldn't approve of. But right now, his need for satisfying his hunger was far outweighing his want to be good.

He licked his lips, then looked her in the eyes. "I want to suck them," he said simply. He didn't feel the need to sugarcoat it. It was what it was.

"Well, then, I really think you should," Lily said, her voice having such a seductive tone to it that it made him feel things below the belt area. Things that made him realize not doing it was no longer an option.

Rufus ran his hands slowly down her sides. "All right then," he said, licking his lips again before bringing his lips down to her breasts. He kissed her left breast over the nipple, then moved onto the right one. He let his tongue linger longer on the right one, circling her nipple and licking over it until it stood at attention...kind of like what a certain part of him in the lower region was currently doing. Deciding he liked this, and wanted a matching set, he moved back to her left breast, giving it the same attention.

Lily threw her head back, and tangled her fingers in his hair. She licked her lips, her eyes closed. "Mm, yes..." she moaned.

Rufus moaned too. Things were getting a little bit too heated for him, but he didn't think he could stop now. He had already jumped into the river, and now the current was pulling him in a certain direction whether he wanted to go there or not!

~BA~

I knew this was wrong—that I should stop now before I hit the point of no return. The thing was, I think I had already hit that spot miles ago.

I sucked on her left breast, then moved back to the right. Her breasts were so supple and perfect. Lisa had great breasts too, but they weren't as good as Lily's. Or maybe I just missed Lily's. After all, it had been so long since I'd been with her in this way. As it turns out, my body was apparently craving her body more than I was aware of. All I wanted to do was ravish her—every single part of her.

I kissed, licked, and nipped up her neck, spending quite some time on it until she begged me to kiss her.

"Kiss me, Rufus," she said, sounding calm, but looking flushed.

I promptly removed my lips from her neck, and placed them overtop of her lips, letting my tongue slide into her mouth to meet with her tongue again.

Our tongues were enjoying getting reacquainted, but there was a lower part of my body that was _very_ eager to get reacquainted with a certain lower part of _her_ body.

She broke the kiss, her breathing heavy as she panted for air. "I meant, I want you to kiss me down lower," she informed me.

"Oh." I said. I kissed her neck to tease her. I knew what she meant.

"Lower," she ordered, motioning down further with her eyes.

I kissed her breasts.

"_Lower_." Her tone was more firm now, and her eyes were glazed over with lust.

I kissed between her chests in the valley, then down to her stomach.

"Rufus..." Her tone had taken on a warning tone now.

I smirked, then kissed the space right below her belly button, and right above her crotch area, grinning when she let out a long and frustrated groan.

"Lower!" she snapped, getting impatient now.

I decide to push her just a little bit further. She was kind of cute when she was needy and annoyed. Who would have thought that combination would turn me on? Then again, today, it seemed like _everything_ with Lily was turning me on.

I moved down to her thighs, and began kissing them.

"Rufus, that's too low, and you know it!" she snapped.

I grinned. "Oh, so you mean, here?" I kissed over the crotch of her black mesh panties, feeling as if my lower region was going to explode. It was finally to that point. I was either going to ravish her completely right now, or, I would use every ounce of strength in me to walk away. I'd break it off with Lisa, and then go to Lily's and spend the rest of the night and the whole next day, satisfying my every need with Lily. My brain told me to pick the latter, but every other part of me—especially my groin—was telling me to take her now. It wasn't fond of waiting. It never was. At least, not with Lily.

"Why'd you stop?" Lily whined.

"I'm debating on what I should do," I said, being honest.

She looked me in the eyes, her eyes narrowing at me. "What you should do, Rufus, is take my underwear off, and let your tongue go to town. And by town I do mean my—" She cut herself off, then licked her lips and smiled, her eyebrows raised seductively as her eyes lowered to her crotch. "Well, you know exactly what I want. You always do." She ran her hands down her thighs, then moved them so that she was almost touching herself, but not quite. "You do want to, don't you Rufus?" She then bat her eyelashes again in a way I knew she knew I couldn't resist.

I moaned. "You _know_ I do, Lily."

"Well, then what's the hold up?" Lily spread her legs wider, and pouted as she looked at me. "I need you." She smirked. "Or at least your tongue."

I had officially lost all contact with my conscience. My brain was too busy listening to my groin, which was telling me to do it, and to do it now.

I tugged at the waistband of her underwear.

Lily licked her lips. "Mm, yes, do it!" she ordered, her eyes closed.

I pulled her underwear down then, and it was official. I knew there was absolutely no turning back now. I simply didn't want to. And so, I licked my lips, then brought my mouth down so that I could enjoy my well-awaited prize.

~BA~

"Make love to me now, Rufus," Lily ordered.

Rufus was glad, for it was as if she was reading his thoughts. The way her eyes rolled to the back of her head, the way she gripped his hair, and the way her moans echoed off the walls was getting to be far too much for him. He needed his release just as much as she did. But was he willing to finally go that last step? His body was sure making the motions to. He hadn't remembered pulling his underwear down, but there they were at his ankles with his pants. Apparently, his hands had decided without letting the rest of him know.

He positioned himself over Lily, and pressed his mouth to hers. His hands roamed her body.

Lily broke the kiss, her eyes pleading with his. "Please?" she asked.

Rufus sighed. He didn't want to be William. He didn't want to be the person who cheated on his wife. But, technically, Lisa wasn't his wife yet. And technically, all this stuff they had already done was most definitely cheating no matter how he looked at it. So, if he had already gone this far, why not go the rest of the way, right? He knew his reasoning was way off, but, at this point, he really didn't care. The only thing he could concentrate on was making love to Lily. And so, he began to kiss Lily more passionately, preparing to make love to her. That is, until he heard the jingle, indicating the front door being opened. He froze.

"What was that?" Lily asked, looking over toward the closed back room door. Apparently, she had heard the jingle too, so it wasn't just his guilty conscience playing pranks on him.

"Someone just came through the front door," Rufus said, too afraid to move.

"Didn't you lock it?" Lily asked.

Rufus nodded. "I did."

"But I didn't hear anyone breaking the glass window. How did they get in?" Lily asked, sitting up, and covering her naked chest with her arms. She looked toward the door as if she were expecting someone to come charging in at any moment.

"It must be Lisa. I gave her a key in case I ever need her to look over the gallery for me like if I was sick, or out of town or something," Rufus explained. His face then suddenly paled as if he just realized the danger of the situation. He quickly shot up like a rocket, and frantically searched around for his clothing. He found his teeshirt and quickly pulled it on, then he found his dress shirt, and fumbled to button it, but in his nervousness, his fingers kept getting in the way.

Lily sighed. "Here," she whispered. She quickly buttoned his shirt back up.

"Thanks," Rufus whispered back. His pants and underwear were right at his feet with his socks and shoes where he had moments before kicked them off his ankles in preparation of making love to Lily. He quickly pulled his underwear on, and then his pants, barely being able to get his zipper zipped and his button done up, he was so nervous. He managed though

"Rufus? Are you in here?" Lisa's voice was unmistakable. It was her all right. The only thing was, in his current state of lust, which was _clearly_ apparent in his lower region, he couldn't call out to her. If he did, she'd want to come in. And if she came in, she'd see Lily half naked, and him in a very uncomfortable state.

The door knob of the back room turned. "Rufus, are you in here?"

Rufus and Lily both froze. Well, Lily froze. Rufus nearly fainted.

~Begin Again~

Lily had just gotten her bra back on and latched. Her underwear was back on as well. She froze when the doorknob to the back room turned, and Lisa called out for Rufus. Thankfully, Rufus had the door locked, so Lisa couldn't come in.

Lily quietly tiptoed over to Rufus, and whispered in his ear. "Does she have the key to the back room?"

Rufus shook his head. "No," he whispered back. "I never lock it, so it didn't cross my mind to give her they key to it."

Lily sighed a sigh of relief. "We're safe then."

Rufus pulled on his socks, and slipped on his shoes. "Let's just hope she leaves, and doesn't decide to stick around and wait for me."

Lily bit her lip to stop herself from saying what she wanted to say. So what if Lisa found out? At least then she'd know! This whole sneaking around thing was silly. He was going to break it off with her, so why not just tell her? Though, she supposed this might not be the best way to tell her. Then again, after what Lisa did to Rufus, Lily really didn't care if Lisa got hurt even worse by finding out this way.

"Even if you hid, I'm clearly in no state to go anywhere," Rufus said, looking down at his lower region.

Lily smirked, and took Rufus into her arms. "You know," she whispered, "I can take care of that for you if you'd like me to." She bent down so that her mouth was at the length of his crotch. "You were so good to me, let me return the favor. And this time it wouldn't even be cheating. All you have to do is stand there and let _me_ do the cheating. Actually, I'm not dating anyone else, so I won't even be cheating. It's a win-win situation," she whisper purred. She kissed him over his pants.

Rufus shot a warning look at her. "Don't."

Lily grinned. Rufus was so squirmy. She loved making him squirm. Especially when it was in desire for her. Okay, technically in this case it was out of nervousness, but Lily knew the desire was still there, which was clearly why he didn't want to her to take care of the problem for him. Well, he did, just not with his precious little Lisa on the other side of the door.

"Rufus?" Lisa knocked on the door.

Rufus stood still like a statue, and quiet like a mouse.

Lily stayed still and quiet as well, for she knew that Rufus would only be angry with her if she did something to let Lisa know before he was ready for Lisa to know.

Finally, they heard footsteps walking away, and a moment later, the sound of the front door's bells were heard followed by the door closing, causing more bells to sound.

They waited a minute for Lisa to lock up and be gone.

Once Rufus was sure that Lisa was gone for sure, he sighed with relief. "That was close. Too close!"

"If you'd have just told her when you were supposed to, you wouldn't have to worry about it," Lily reasoned.

Rufus glanced at her. "Lil, please don't start."

Lily sighed. "Tell her tonight. I mean, it Rufus. This is going on far too long. The longer you wait to tell her, the harder it's going to be on her when you finally tell her it's over."

Rufus nodded. "I know, and I _will_ tell her. I'll tell her tonight. I promise."

Lily smiled. "Good!" She then nodded toward his lower region. "I see you were so worried about being caught, your problem took care of itself." She smirked.

Rufus looked down, and blushed. "I guess so."

Lily kissed him. "I'll get out of your hair. It's soon time for you to open the gallery back up. Call me when you've told Lisa." She kissed his lips again, then slid her trench coat back on. She shoved the guarders in her pockets, and slipped her shoes back on.

She then unlocked the door, and opened it. She smiled at Rufus over her shoulder, then left, thinking that Rufus better break it off with Lisa that night. Otherwise, she was going to start to get miffed.

~Begin Again~

Rufus was glad when he finally arrived back at the loft. He had been flustered ever since Lisa had almost caught him screwing Lily's brain's out. All right, so maybe with the door locked there wasn't anyway she could have gotten in. And maybe he hadn't actually screwed Lily's brains out. But, if Lisa had arrived just a few moments later, she could have heard something that he definitely did not want her to hear whether she could see what he and Lily were doing or not!

He paused outside of the door. He took a deep breath, and let it out. If today had taught him anything, it was not to hold back a secret. Somehow secrets always had a way of coming out anyway. And, if it had to come out, which he knew it did (there was no way around it), it had to come out on _his_ terms. He couldn't let Lisa find out by accident. That would only hurt her worse. Besides, he knew Lily was right when she said earlier that the longer he delayed this, the more it was going to hurt Lisa in the end.

So, with one more deep breath in and out, he headed into the loft, fully prepared to tell Lisa that it was over.

However, when he got in, smelled the delicious smell of waffles, and saw Lisa happily cooking away, he knew he couldn't tell her right then. He'd tell her after dinner. She might take the news better on a full stomach anyway.

Lisa turned around when she heard the door slide shut, and she smiled when she saw Rufus. "Welcome home, Honey! I decided to cook waffles for dinner. You told me before you never tire of them, so even though we had them for breakfast, I'm sure you don't mind having them for dinner too." She smirked, and winked at him.

Rufus licked his lips, and pat his stomach. "Mm, you know I don't!" He smiled, and winked back at her. He locked the door, then walked over to her, hugged her from behind, and kissed the left side of her neck. "What's the special occasion?" he asked her. He tried to reach around her to stick his finger int he powdered sugar, but Lisa playfully smacked his hand away.

"I've just been thinking about how much I can't wait to be your wife, and about how it's coming up so fast!" She turned around and embraced him, resting her head on his chest. "I'm so excited! In just three weeks I'll be Mrs. Lisa Humphrey. Oh! Being your wife is going to be a dream come true!" She smiled up at him, her arms still wrapped tightly around his waist. "I honestly feel like I'm in a fairytale. I'm the princess marrying my prince!" She kissed his lips.

He kissed her lips in return, but his heart felt sick as he thought of him and Lily in the carousel. He thought of sitting on the horse with Lily like a prince and princess riding off into the sunset together. Lily was his princess, and he was letting Lisa believe that _she_ was. He felt despicable, yet it wasn't enough to give him the courage to tell Lisa just yet. So, he kissed her head, and gently stroked her hair. "I feel the same way. I can hardly wait to marry you," he lied before heading to the cupboards, and getting out the plates, cups, and silverware. He knew saying that was only going to make him look worse when he told Lisa about him and Lily, but he _had_ to say something to that order. If he didn't, Lisa would feel bad, or get suspicious.

Five minutes later, everything was on the table, and they had sat down together for a nice dinner.

"So, I was thinking, tomorrow during lunch, I'll pick you up, and then we can go over to the catering agency. They have the dishes they want us to sample for the wedding. I figured we'll get enough samples for it to be our lunch!" Lisa grinned.

Rufus grinned back, trying his best to make it look sincere. "We can do that," he said before shoving a bite of maple syrup-drenched waffles into his mouth.

"Oh, and the tailor called today. He wants you to stop by tomorrow for your final suit fitting. I told him you could be there after work. I hope that's okay?" Lisa continued. She shoved some hash browns into her mouth.

Rufus took a sip of his orange juice, then nodded. "I can also do that!" He smiled, wondering how in the world he was going to get out of all this _now_. He'd worry about it after dinner. And dessert if there was any.

As it turned out, Lisa had indeed made dessert. She had made strawberries and cream cheese crêpes. He decided to wait until he had his dessert to break it off with her.

"So, where did you go for lunch today? I was going to surprise you and have lunch with you, but you weren't in the gallery. I checked the pizza shop, and you weren't there. Did you go somewhere?" Lisa asked between bites of crêpe.

Rufus was prepared. He had come up with an excuse in case she had brought this up. Even though he planned on telling her he was going to be with Lily, it didn't mean he wanted her knowing what he had been doing with Lily at the gallery. He certainly did not! "Yeah, I don't know why, but I suddenly had a huge craving for a hot dog, so I went to Bark's to get one."

"You should have called me up! I could have joined you," Lisa said before eating the last bite of her crêpe.

Rufus nodded. "I know, but I just wanted it to be quick. I had a good selling day today, and wanted to get back quickly."

"I see. Well, we'll have tomorrow to have lunch together at least." Lisa smiled sweetly, then downed the rest of her orange juice.

Rufus nodded. "Yeah." He smiled, wondering how in the hell he was going to tell Lisa no now. He couldn't. It would simply have to wait until tomorrow after lunch tomorrow. At least she'd get her lunch with him that she wanted even if it wasn't exactly the best consolation prize in the world.

Rufus managed to get down the last of his crêpe, despite the knots his stomach was in. He downed the rest of his orange juice, then helped Lisa clear the table.

Once everything was put away, Lisa pulled him close, and kissed his lips. "Rufus, Honey, I'm really in the mood for love, if you know what I mean." She smiled, and batted her eyelashes at him.

Rufus swallowed hard, remembering all too well the day's earlier events with Lily. Lily had batted her eyelashes like that too to get him to make love to her. Except Lily had beautifully long lashes. Lisa had nice lashes, but they weren't quite as nice as Lily's. He couldn't do this. At least not until he talked to Lily first. "Can you hold that thought?" he asked with a grimace.

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "For how long?"

"I have to run a quick errand, but I'll be back in an hour," Rufus said, walking off to get his coat before Lisa could say no.

"Where are you going? What errand?" Lisa asked, walking over to him. "Do you want some company?"

Rufus shook his head. "I'm working on a last minute surprise for you for the wedding. It has to be taken care of tonight. That's all I can tell you." He felt like a world class ass, lying to her like this—especially about a surprise for her. But he figured that, once he told her it was through between her and him, and that the wedding was off, not really getting a surprise from him would be the very _last_ thing on her mind.

She smiled. "Why so late?"

"I was going to take care of it on the way home from work, but then I forgot. I also didn't want to be late for dinner," Rufus continued to lie.

"Well, if I knew you were getting me a surprise, I'd have understood you being late for dinner. I certainly wouldn't have minded!" she said with a grin.

Rufus grinned too. "Well, like I said, I forgot too, so..."

Lisa kissed his lips, and gently stroked the side of his face. It was a classic Lily move. Rufus wondered if she was purposely trying to be like Lily. "Just hurry home, okay?" She then brushed her lips against his left ear. "I'll be waiting," she purred.

Rufus shivered as he remembered Lily purring into his ear earlier. "I will." He quickly kissed Lisa on the lips, then took off out of the loft, eager to get out into the fresh air. After all this sneaking around, and after all the nervousness he had been feeling, and after all the flashbacks of Lily his brain was shooting to him, he needed the cool air. He also needed to see Lily. So, with determination, he got into the elevator, and headed down to the lobby so that he could go get some fresh air, and another dose of Lily.

~Begin Again~

Lily had just finished her fettucine alfredo TV dinner, and was thinking about dipping into her thin mint girl scout cookies when there was a knock at the door. Lily peered out the peephole, and smiled when she saw Rufus standing there. "I'm surprised you didn't take your usual choice of the elevator!" she said with a grin after opening the door.

Rufus grinned too, and shrugged. "I felt like being spontaneous."

Lily laughed, and stepped back. "Come on in!"

Rufus stepped in, and she shut and locked the door behind him. She then turned to face him. "So, does this mean you finally told Lisa it's over between you two?"

Rufus winced.

"Rufus!" Lily felt her heart drop. She had thought for sure that Rufus had finally broken it off with Lisa! She was starting to get annoyed now.

"I was going to, but then she made me waffles for dinner. I decided to wait until after dinner, but then she made crêpes, so I decided to wait until we had those. She kept talking about how excited she is for us to have lunch together at the caterer's tomorrow, and test out our food for the wedding. She was also excited for my final tux fitting tomorrow. Oh, and before she was done with dinner, she hugged me, and told me that she was so excited to be my wife! She said she felt like a princess about to marry her prince, and that marrying me felt like a fairytale!" Rufus quickly defended himself. "I mean, how could I tell her after all _that_?"

Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, you're going to have to tell her sometime!" She raised an eyebrow. "Unless you changed your mind about not wanting to marry her?" Her stomach suddenly felt sick at the thought. "Is that why you came here tonight? To break it off with me?"

Rufus shook his head, and immediately grabbed her hands in her own. "Never! Lil, the reason I came here is because I needed to see you, and to tell you in person so that you know I'm sincere when I tell you how much I love you." He gently stroked her cheek. "Lily, you're my heart. Tonight may not be the right time to tell her, but tomorrow will be. I'll tell her even if she starts up again, expressing how excited she is for the wedding. I'll tell her it's over, and you and I can and will be together!"

Lily sighed. Rufus both sounded and looked sincere. He really did! But, the way he kept making excuses not to tell Lisa was making her worried. What if he changed his mind, and decided to marry Lisa after all? She didn't even want to _think_ about it, but she still couldn't help but wonder if that is why he wasn't breaking it off with Lisa.

~BA~

What if Rufus was putting off telling Lisa it was over because, somewhere deep down there was a part of him that even _he_ didn't see that wanted to marry Lisa? I know he told me he wanted me and not Lisa, but I still couldn't help but wonder. It just seemed that, if he really loved me and wanted to be with me like he said he did, then why wasn't he making it happen? I mean, this whole thing was ridiculous, him going to the caterer to sample food for a wedding that was no longer going to take place, and then going to a tailor to get a suit fitted that he wasn't going to wear. I mean, honestly, if Rufus and I ever got married again, I would _not_ let him get married in the same suit he had planned on marrying Lisa in—that was for sure!

"Lil, speak to me. Are you angry?" Rufus asked, gently stroking my cheek.

I sighed, and nuzzled my cheek against his. "I'm just afraid you're going to change your mind and end up leaving me to stay with her," I confessed.

Rufus shook his head. "That's never going to happen! I promise you that!"

I looked down at the floor, still not sure I believed him.

He gently lifted my chin with his index finger, and looked into my eyes, forcing me to look into his. "Lil, no. You are my world. I love you with every fiber of my being, and I promise you, I'm not going to let you go again. I've done that far too many times before. I'm through doing that."

I smiled, finally starting to believe him. "I love you with every fiber of my being too," I told him, for I truly did.

His lips then met mine as he pulled me close into a slow and passionate kiss.

I sighed, and held him close in return as I lovingly kissed him back. I never wanted this moment to end, but I knew eventually, at least for tonight, it would have to. But, until then, I was going to enjoy every moment of his kiss.

~BA~

After a little while, Rufus broke the kiss.

Lily sighed, missing his kisses already.

"Hey, don't worry. I'll tell her it's over tomorrow. I promise!" Rufus said gently as he stroked her cheek. He closed his eyes, and kissed her softly on the lips.

Lily closed her eyes as well, and kissed him back just as softly.

Rufus broke the kiss too soon for Lily's taste, and headed toward the door. "I told Lisa I'd only be gone an hour, so I really have to go. She thinks I'm putting together a wedding surprise for her."

Lily shook her head in response.

Rufus smiled guiltily, then blew her a kiss. "I'll call you tomorrow." He then left, shutting the door behind him.

Lily locked the door behind him, then, with a sigh, grabbed her box of girl scout cookies, and headed to the fridge for some milk. She just hoped he kept his word. Otherwise, it was looking like many, many sad and lonely nights for her filled with girl scout cookies, tears, tissues, and the sappiest movies she could find.

~Begin Again~

When Rufus got home, he found Lisa in the bedroom, clad in her pink cotton nightie. She smiled at him. "Welcome home, Baby! I hope you're as in the mood for love as I am." She winked.

Rufus grinned, and took off his shirts. He had already removed his shoes and coat prior to entering the bedroom. "You bet I am!" Lisa had such an innocence about her. He found her innocence sexy. So, a little pink nightie, though it might not be much to the average guy, was rather sexy to him, and he knew that Lisa knew it. He also knew that Lisa didn't feel the need to try so hard with him. She felt his love and attraction for her, for he was good at showing his feelings for people. He guessed that is why she had suspected he still had feelings for Lily.

She was so sweet and innocent. Well, aside from the having drugged him part, but he was past all that. He was going to hate breaking her heart, but it had to be done. But, it could wait until tomorrow. Tonight, he wanted to give her one last night before he broke her heart. Today might have been his and Lily's day, but tonight would be his and Lisa's night. It would be one last hurrah before they ended it. Of course Lisa wouldn't know that, but it was okay. For he knew that she would at least always have this final night together with him even after he was long since gone from her life.

And so he hopped into bed, took her into his arms, and kissed her passionately, ready to give her a night she would always remember.


	17. Sleepless in New York

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 17: Sleepless in New York**_

Rufus knew he should tell Lisa that he wasn't going to marry her. He knew he should tell her he's sorry, but he's fallen in love with Lily. He had never fallen out of love with Lily, and he had no business letting his and Lisa's relationship go on for as long as it did. She also deserved to know the truth about his little randevú with Lily. Not to mention all the kisses. Instead, he was on his way to the caterers to test out food with Lisa for their wedding that was never going to take place. Of course, Lisa didn't know the part about the wedding never taking place.

"Are you excited to be trying out the food? It makes it all the more real that we're getting married, doesn't it?" Lisa asked.

Rufus looked over at the driver's side, where Lisa was driving. She had a big grin plastered on her face as she looked at him quickly before putting her eyes back on the road. She looked so happy, it only made him feel worse than he already felt, which was a lot. He smiled, trying his best to make the smile look sincere. "I am, and it sure does! I'm looking forward to sampling it all." He licked his lips, and pat his stomach.

"The best part is, they don't charge us extra for the sampling, so it's like getting a free lunch!" Lisa said with a snort.

Rufus smiled genuinely this time. He loved when Lisa snorted while she laughed. It was adorable. At least to him it was. "Yeah! You can't beat free food. You know, we should have had waffles."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "You and your waffles." She smiled despite her eye roll. "Don't you ever get sick of them?"

"Get sick of them? Don't speak such blasphemous things!" Rufus joked.

Lisa grinned. "My apologizes." They arrived at the caterers, and she pulled in and parked. Then, she turned off the car, and faced him. "Are you ready to go in and taste all the delicious food?"

Rufus knew that now would be the time to tell her the wedding was off. They could end it now, and maybe the caterer would give them at least some of their money back. His mind told him to confess, but his lips didn't get the memo. "Let's go! I don't know about you, but I'm starved!"

"We skipped breakfast so we'd be hungry for this, so you bet your ass I'm hungry!" Lisa said, getting out of the car.

Rufus laughed heartily, and got out of the car as well. Lisa wasn't usually the type to swear, so when she did, no matter how mild the word, it was funny.

Lisa smiled at him, and took his hand as they walked toward the building together. She rested her head on his shoulder, still smiling contently.

Rufus felt as if he had just swallowed a rock. How was he ever going to tell her the wedding wasn't going to happen? The longer he waited, the harder it was going to be to tell her, he knew. He'd tell her after the caterers. He thought of Lily's smiling face. Then he thought of kissing her sweet, sexy lips. He held back a sigh. He had no choice but to tell Lisa no matter how hard it was going to be to tell her.

~Begin Again~

Lisa was so excited as she and Rufus headed hand-in-hand down the long corridor toward the room where all the food sampling would take place. There was going to be grilled chicken with a mango sauce, grilled chicken with a lemon sauce, meat lasagna, and for the vegetarians, vegetable lasagna. There was also baked potatoes, cheesy garlic mashed potatoes, French-cut green beans, dinner rolls, fruit salad, shrimp cocktail, and some kind of chocolate strawberry mousse. There would be an open bar at their wedding as far as alcoholic drinks went, and for the children and the nondrinkers were would be sodas, flavored and non flavored lemonades, flavored and non flavored iced teas, and of course fruits punch. It was a lot of food for a semi-small wedding, but they had wanted their guests to have a nice variety of things to eat.

They arrived at the door they were told to go to, and Lisa knocked firmly, eager to get in and try everything.

A brief moment later, the door opened, and there stood a refined looking man in black dress slacks, shiny black shoes with black socks, and a button-down white dress shirt underneath a black suit jacket. He also wore a white apron overtop that read _NY Caterer Company_. It had a big red apple with a green leaf stitched underneath the words. "Hello! You must be Rufus and Lisa. It's a pleasure to meet you both." He shook Rufus' hand, and then he took Lisa's hand and kissed it.

Lisa giggled. He was good looking, and looked to be around her age. She took pleasure in the fact that he had chosen to kiss her hand. Still, even though he was good looking, he still wasn't he wasn't half as good looking as Rufus. She latched onto Rufus' arm, and smiled up at him. She loved him so much she felt she could burst! She could hardly wait to marry him.

They got right to the food sampling. As suspected, they were able to try a big enough portions to make it their lunch. They tried a little bit of everything, and it wall tasted so good that Lisa could hardly wait to see how people at the reception enjoyed it. She knew they'd all want to know who catered it so that they could hire them for their next event. Lisa knew it was silly, but she was glad she'd be the first one out of her friends to try the caterer. They were a new catering service. They had only arrived the year before. Lisa loved getting one up on her friends. She loved them, but it always felt good to try something before others did, and to turn people on to something.

She smiled at Rufus. Just like she loved turning Rufus on to knew things.

Rufus smiled back at her. "This food is so good!" he said, his mouth partially full with meat lasagna.

It didn't even bother Lisa that he was talking with his mouth full. She was just so happy to be there, trying out the food for their wedding. It wouldn't be long now, she knew. Soon she would be Mrs. Rufus Humphrey, and once she was, she would never let anyone take Rufus away from her—especially not Lily van der Woodsen.

~Begin Again~

Lily was trying to concentrate on her work, but it was hard to. Rufus had texted her this morning, telling her he would be over after dinner. She had texted him back to ask him if he had broken it off with Lisa yet, but he hadn't responded. She hoped he just hadn't done it yet, but still planned on it. Despite what he had told her the night before, she wasn't believing he was going to break it off with Lisa until she had actual confirmation that he had indeed broken it off with her.

She sighed, the words on the document she was supposed to be looking over blurring. She just had a terrible feeling that he was going to delay telling Lisa it was over. And the longer he delayed on telling her, the more chance there was that he would never tell Lisa it was over.

Lily didn't want to even _think_ about that happening. She sighed again. Maybe she was wrong. For all she knew, Rufus could be telling Lisa right now that it was over. Or, maybe he planned on telling Lisa after work that it was over. That would explain the coming over after dinner part. He would probably tell Lisa over dinner after work that it was over between them. Then, he could come stay with Lily, giving Lisa the evening to pack up her things and get out.

Lily sort of felt bad. True, it was Lisa, and she had not only threatened her, but drugged Rufus as well. Even so, after having been cheated on, it gave Lily sympathy for _anyone_ who had been cheated on. She supposed, even though Lisa was a bitch at times, and even though she had committed a crime in drugging Rufus, it still didn't mean she deserved to be cheated on.

Lily stamped the document, and put it in the finished pile before moving onto the next one. But if Rufus would just tell Lisa what is going on, and finally break up with her, he'd no longer be cheating. Lily stamped the next page. She sighed yet again. She just loved Rufus so much. She hoped he broke it off with Lisa soon. She knew he told her he loved her, but his unwillingness to break it off with Lisa was really making her second-guess his love for her. After all, if he loved her as much as he said he did, wouldn't he be just as eager to break it off with Lisa as she was for him to do so? One would think so. Yet, so far, he was still with Lisa, probably still making love to her as well. That thought alone made Lily want to vomit her breakfast up all over her documents.

She shook her head, and wrote something down on one of the blanks on the newest document. Then, she stamped it, and put it in the finished pile.

Well, one thing was for sure—she was driving herself crazy with all the paranoia. So, from now on, she would do her best to think positively.

She grinned. And she could start by thinking about how she was going to greet him tonight when he arrived at her place. She smiled to herself, already getting an idea in her head. She licked her lips, then stamped the next document.

~Begin Again~

"That cake looked so good, I wanted to eat it right then and there!" Lisa said. The catering company also did wedding cakes, so they had had several cakes prepared for them to try. There was French vanilla cake, chocolate cake, marble cake, red velvet cake, yellow cake, strawberry cake—you name it! They were all frosted in the most delicious vanilla frosting. Some had buttercream frosting. They had tried a tiny bit of each cake, finally deciding upon a a red velvet cake with a buttercream frosting. Rufus had let Lisa pick out the design, but he approved it. It was a three-tier cake with little white pillars holding up the middle and top layer. It had silver icing giving the cake ruffles around the top circular shape of the each layer, and the sides of the cake were given a trellis look to them with diamond shapes all over the side made with the same silver icing. It was going to be beautiful, he knew. They even had a wax bride and groom on top that were made to look just like them—glasses and all.

Rufus licked his lips, and pat his stomach at the memory. "I know. Gosh, I think the thing I'm most excited about after marrying you is eating all that food!" He wanted to kick himself for acting like he was still going to marry her, but he couldn't help himself. He wasn't ready to tell her yet.

"Heck, forget getting married. Let's just go straight to the food part!" Lisa joked.

Rufus laughed. "Sounds good!" He knew Lisa would take it as a joke. She had no idea how much he had meant it.

"Well, thank you for coming with me to sample all the food today," Lisa said, pulling Rufus close, and kissing his cheek once they had exited the building, and were back out into the cool, crisp, springtime air.

Rufus smiled at her, and gently rubbed her back as he kissed her cheek in return. "Are you kidding me? I got to sample al that delicious food. Trust me—you don't have to thank me for that!" he teased.

Lisa smiled, then pulled him in for a soft kiss on the lips. "I love you," she said. "I can hardly wait to be your wife."

His eyes lowered as he pulled her in for another soft and sweet kiss on the lips. "And I can hardly wait to be your husband." Again, he felt like he had just swallowed a rock. He hated lying to her, yet he couldn't get himself to tell her the truth. He would after dinner for sure.

"Well, let's get you back to work!" Lisa said. "I have one last wedding gown fitting to get to. I had them readjust it last fitting. My diet must be working because it was slightly big on me!" She smiled and winked at him, then unlocked the doors, and got in.

Rufus grinned, then once she was in the car, sighed. He then opened the door to get in as well. Right after dinner.

~BA~

I kissed Lisa goodbye—in the literal sense; not the metaphorical sense—then shut the car door, and headed back into the gallery to continue working. I wanted to kick myself for being such a coward. I mean, how sick was I, going through the motions of preparing for a wedding when I knew the whole time that I had no intentions whatsoever of marrying Lisa? It was a lose-lose situation. I didn't want to hurt her by breaking up with her, but I'd be hurting her in the long run by waiting so long to hurt her. If that makes any sense at all.

A new customer came in, and I had to momentarily drop Lisa from my thoughts.

The man seemed to know exactly what he was going for. I had seen him in the store before, but he had never bought anything. However, today it was very apparent that he had something in mind.

"May I help you with anything?" I asked, putting on my friendliest smile and even friendlier tone.

He grinned at me. "Why yes! I am going to be getting married next week, and I would love to buy my bride-to-be this painting. She was in the other day just browsing, saw it, and fell in love with it. I figured, since it's a painting of a happy bride and groom, and since I've been wanting to get her an engagement present, this painting is the perfect solution!"

I grinned. "What excellent taste she has! It's by an up-and-coming artist, Andrew Berkman. He is really good, and his paintings have been selling as if he were Picasso or something! He's really good."

"Yes, I've heard about him. Hopefully he'll become even more famous someday and make this painting worth something!" The guy winked.

I laughed. "I'm sure he will be. He's already rapidly gaining popularity."

"You already have me sold. I'll take it!" the man said.

"All right then!" I said with a grin. I grabbed the painting. "Let me get that wrapped for you. Will you be taking it home now, or picking it up later?"

"I can take it home now, thank you. I borrowed my friend's truck." He grinned.

"Well, congratulations ahead of time on your wedding. What is your fiancé's name?" I asked as I headed over to wrap the painting.

"Lisa," the man said with a grin.

My mouth literally dropped open in surprise. "That's funny! I'm getting married in a few weeks, and _my_ fiancé's name is Lisa." I quickly thought about how I wasn't actually going to marry her, but decided to ignore it. Details, details.

"Really? That's funny. I suppose Lisa isn't all that uncommon of a name, but still it's funny that we're both marrying a Lisa around the same time." The man chuckled.

I smiled, feeling that guilty feeling all over again. "Yeah. What are the odds?"

We made more small talk as I finished wrapping the painting. He was madly in love with his Lisa. He could hardly wait to marry her. I wished I was him. I wished I could just get married without any complications. But I was in love with two women, and the one I loved most wasn't the one I was engaged too. It seemed like it was something out of a cheesy romantic comedy. Or in my case, a romantic tragedy. Then, on the other hand, my life was starting to look like one big _comedy_. In fact, I was beginning to feel like my current situation was proof that God has a sense of humor.

~BA~

The day had finally ended. Rufus had only sold a couple of more paintings after the engaged man had stopped by. It was all right thought. He had sold one before the food sampling, so four paintings in one day wasn't too bad.

He locked up, then hopped into his car. Lisa had picked him up in her car for the food sampling, but he had driven his own car to the gallery that morning, He had just left his car there while he went with Lisa to the food sampling.

Now, he drove to the tailor's, which was only a five minute drive from the gallery. When he arrived, he parked the car and turned off the engine, then he got out, locked the doors, and quickly strode into the tailor's. The tailor closed in a half hour, so he knew he was the last customer.

"Hello, Rufus! I think I got your suit just right now," the tailor greeted him as he entered the shop.

Rufus smiled, and gave him a polite nod in hello. "Sounds good! I'll go try it on." He thanked the tailor as he took the suit from him, then headed into the changing room.

Rufus stripped off his shoes, pants, and shirt, then put on his suit. Once it was on, he admired himself in the mirror. It was navy blue, and he had to admit, he did look quite dapper in it. The tailor had done an excellent job, for it fit him perfectly. He had no complaints. It felt good too. It wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest.

He turned and looked at himself from all angles. He was very happy with the suit. It was worth the money. Then again, he didn't really need the suit.

With a sigh, he headed back out for the tailor to inspect it just in case the tailor saw something he didn't.

The tailor grinned, and held his hands together in a prayer position. "You look fabulous! Your future wife is going to love you in that! It's perfect! I did a good job."

Rufus laughed. His tailor was notorious for being very self-praising. It was all right though, for he was as good as he thought he was. "Yes, you did. So, it's safe to go change out of it now?"

The tailor nodded. "I'll go ring up your total."

Rufus nodded. "All right." He then headed back to the dressing room. There, he carefully took the suit off, and hung it back on its hanger. He then slid back into his regular clothes, grabbed the suit on its hanger, and headed back out to the tailor.

The tailor was already behind the counter, ready for Rufus' money. "That will be a hundred dollars please."

Rufus handed over the money. It seemed kind of steep just to tailor a suit. Especially considering the two hundred dollars he had dished out on the suit. He knew the upper east side men spend thousands on their suits, but he was a down to earth man from Brooklyn, so he didn't feel the need to spend thousands of dollars on something he didn't plan on wearing too often. However, Lisa had wanted him to have something of good quality for the wedding, so he had splurged and bought something nicer than he'd usually buy. But now it all just seemed pointless.

He thanked the tailor as the tailor handed him his suit in the garment bag.

"Congratulations, by the way. I'm sure you and your future wife will have a very long, and very happy marriage," the tailor said to him, a bright smile on his face.

Rufus nodded at him. "Thank you. Have a good night."

The tailor thanked him, then Rufus left.

He sucked in the chilly evening air, and slowly let it out. Even though he was outside, he felt like he was going to suffocate. He had just spent all that money on something he no longer needed, Lily was waiting for him to tell Lisa it was over, and he was _so_ not ready to tell Lisa it was over.

He sighed, and headed to his car. He unlocked the doors, then tossed the suit into the back seat and shut the door before opening the front door, and climbing in. he shut his door, and started the engine. How his life had gone from being so perfect to so complicated and stressful so quickly, he had no idea. Actually, he _did_ know how it got that way. The real question was, how to get it back to normal.

"Good luck with that," he mumbled to himself as he pulled out of the parking lot, and headed home to Lisa.

~Begin Again~

Lily heard the elevator doors open, and her heart fluttered a bit. She wasn't ready for Rufus to arrive yet! He had said after dinner, and it was only five thirty. Rufus should have just been arriving home, or on his way home—not at her place. Unless he went straight from work to her place. Had he broken it off with Lisa earlier than expected?

She smiled at the thought, then quickly made her way down the stairs. "Rufus?"

"No. Sorry to disappoint you, my Dear, but it's only me."

Lily slowed as she recognized William's voice. She got to the bottom of the stairs, and sure enough, there he was, standing by the couch. She narrowed her eyes at him. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?" she asked coldly.

"Relax! I'm not here to try and woo you back. I know better than that now," William said, moving to sit down on the couch.

Lily crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, good because you're never going to win me back. Now, again I ask, what the hell are you doing here?"

William smirked. "I just wanted to come over and tell you goodbye in person. Also, I have these for you." He pulled out some documents from his briefcase, and held them out to her.

Lily looked at them suspiciously, her arms still crossed over her chest.

William nodded at her. "Go on. They're not going to explode in your hands or anything." He chuckled at his own joke.

Lily rolled her eyes. "I know that!" She snatched the papers out of his hands. "I'm just worried you have some trick up your sleeve to force me to continue being your wife. With you, I never know."

"Quite the contrary. Those are divorce papers. All you have to do is sign them, then you and I can both go on with our happy lives," William stated.

Lily headed over to her desk, and grabbed her reading glasses. She put them on, then examined the document. "These look legitimate." She looked at William, her eyebrows raised. "How did you get these so fast?"

William shrugged. "I pulled some strings. Bart Bass wasn't the only one with connections, you know." He winked at her, and smiled. "I know people too."

Lily read over the papers again to make sure that it wasn't a trick to get her to stay married to William for all eternity. Then, once she was satisfied that they were indeed legitimate divorce papers, she took out a pen from her pen holder, and signed them. She then headed back over to William, and handed him the papers.

"Thank you!" William said as he examined her signature. He then stuffed the papers back into his briefcase. "I'll put these in right away. How does it feel to be a Rhodes again?" He grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

"Believe me, it feels better than you know." Lily had her arms crossed over her chest again, and sat down on the couch next to him, her arms still crossed. She glanced sideways at him. "So, what did you mean by coming to say goodbye? I'm pretty sure we already said our goodbyes."

William nodded. "That we did. But that was our goodbyes to each other as husband and wife. I'm talking about a goodbye from me to you before I leave for my sailing trip around Europe."

Lily looked at him full on this time. She couldn't hide her surprise. "You're sailing around the Europe? By yourself or with one of your bimbos?"

William chuckled. "She's not a bimbo, Lily. I love Cassidy very much! I think she could quite possibly be the new 'the one.'"

Lily smirked. "You mean to tell me that Moron actually took you back?"

William kept his tone calm. "Cassidy is not a moron, Lily. Please don't refer to her as so. She and I are in love."

"And that, my Dear, is what makes her a moron!" Lily said, not willing to back down. "But, if you'd prefer, I could call her a whore instead."

William glared at her. "She didn't even know I was married when I was dating her. She is not a whore."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Oh, please! It didn't bother her any. She wouldn't be back with you if it did."

"Well, she knows that it's over for you and I." William explained. "Trust me, it took me quite the convincing to get her to come back to me. Anyway, after our month-long trip, she and I might move to Tampa. She has family there, and I'd be closer to Lola when she goes to be with her mother, and when she and her boyfriend go to be with his family."

Lily sighed. "Well, I guess I should just be happy that you and I are officially divorced, and that you are getting out of New York. May I recommend it being for good this time? And, do the kids know about this?"

William smiled. "Don't worry, Lily. I fully intend on making a new home in Tampa. Cassidy will be happier there with her family, and when Cassidy's happy, then so am I."

"Why? Because she thanks you wish sex?" Lily joked, an eyebrow raised.

William shot her a look. "I know this may be hard for you to believe, Lily, but I do love her. I love her more than I ever thought possible."

Lily looked away. "Well, I'm still not quite sure you're even capable of love, but I wish you the best. I hope you can be a better boyfriend or husband to her than you were to me." She highly doubted this whole thing with Cassidy would last much longer than their trip around the Europe, but whatever got him out of Lily's hair was fine with Lily.

"Trust me, Lily. My days of cheating are over. With Cassidy, I no longer have the desire to cheat," William assured her.

Lily shot him a dirty look.

William blushed. "No offense."

Lily rolled her eyes. "So, again, do the kids know?"

William nodded. "I told Serena before coming over here. She didn't seem that sad to see me go, but she thanked me for doing the right thing when I told her I had put a rush on the divorce. As for Eric, well, Cassidy and I are going to stop by to tell him before we catch our flight out to Barcelona, Spain. That's where we're renting our boat. It's our first stop in our tour of Europe!" He grinned. Eric was currently sharing an apartment with Jenny in Hudson.

Lily smirked. "Good luck with introducing him to Cassidy."

William smirked too. "Once he gets to know her, I'm sure he'll love her. Serena was cordial to Cassidy. I'm sure Eric will be too. Our son has never been one to be rude."

"He wasn't too fond of _you_ when you came back the first time," Lily reminded him.

"Ah, but he eventually warmed up to me again," William reminded her.

Lily nodded. "Fair enough."

William then stood up, and extended his hand to Lily. "Goodbye, Lily. Thanks for all the wonderful years of marriage."

Lily smirked, and shook his hand in return, not bothering to stand up. "I wish I could thank you for the same, but I'm not remembering anything wonderful."

"Oh, come on! Surely they weren't _all_ bad, were they? I mean, you did marry me twice, right?" He smiled and winked at her.

Lily sighed. "I suppose there was a good time or two."

William smiled, then leaned in and kissed her cheek. "I'll send you a postcard from Europe!" he said with a wink before heading back to the elevators.

"Save the paper. I'm good!" Lily called out after him.

William chuckled, and stepped onto the elevator. He got one last wink at her in before the doors closed, removing him from Lily's sight.

Lily watched the doors close, and sighed. "Goodbye, William," she said to the empty doors. She then smiled, and headed back up stairs to get ready for Rufus' arrival.

~Begin Again~

Rufus arrived home, and Lisa had a nice spaghetti dinner set up for them, complete with garlic bread and a salad. There were two wine glasses on the table with a bottle of red wine chilling in a bucket in the middle of the table.

"Good morning, oh Future husband of mine!" Lisa said with a smile as she greeted him at the door. She kissed him sweetly on the lips, then helped him with his jacket. "I made spaghetti for dinner. I hope that's okay?"

Rufus kissed her again. "It's perfect! Mm, it smells really good. Did you make it with meat sauce?" He slipped off his shoes.

"Uh uh! I never found plain marinara sauce all that great," Lisa said from the closet, where she was hanging up Rufus' jacket.

"To tell you the truth, I don't like it much either." _That's the _only _truth you're telling her lately..._ Rufus shook the pesky thought from his head. "Everything tastes better with meat anyway, doesn't it?"

Lisa turned back to him, the jacket now hung up. She grinned. "It sure does. I guess it's a good thing neither of us is a vegetarian, huh?" She laughed.

Rufus laughed too. "It sure is."

They headed to the table and sat down. "Mm, this wine looks delicious!" He said after he took the bottle and examined the label. "It's a good brand and year!

Lisa smiled. "Is it? Not being much of a drinker, and therefore not drinking too often, I wasn't quite sure what was good. I had the clerk tell me what to get." She blushed. "It was expensive, but I want nothing but the best for my future husband!"

Rufus felt his heart melt. Why was she making it to hard to break it off with her? "What's the occasion?" he asked weakly, smiling halfheartedly. He put the bottle back in the ice bucket.

"I don't need a special occasion to pamper, you, Silly! I love you, and I'm going to be your wife!" She grinned, and held his hands from across the table. She kissed them. "You're my everything, Baby!"

Rufus smiled back at her, and kissed her hands in return. "And you're mine." He looked away, not wanting her to see the lies in his eyes. He released her hands, then grabbed the wine bottle again, and poured some wine into her glass. She had already popped the cork.

"That's good," she said when her glass was halfway full.

He smiled at her, then poured wine into his own glass.

"A toast!" she said, holding out her glass once he had put the wine bottle back into the ice bucket.

Rufus held out his glass to hers, already dreading her toast before he even knew what it was to.

"To us! May we have a long and happy marriage filled with love!" Lisa was smiling brightly.

Rufus was instantly taken back part of Lily's wedding vows to him.

"_And Rufus, I know that our future will be just like us: flawed and fragmented. And full of more love than I ever thought possible."_

He smiled weakly, and clicked her glass. "To us and our happy marriage," he agreed before downing the whole glass down with one swallow.

~Begin Again~

Lily heard the elevator doors open, and she ran downstairs. "Rufus?" she asked. It was after dinnertime now. It had to be him!

"No, Mom, it's just me," came Serena's voice.

Lily felt her heart sink a little. "Oh." She tightened her light blue silk La Perla robe around her before stepping into the living room to greet Serena.

Serena smirked. "Can you please try to hold back your excitement, Mom?"

Lily blushed. "Sorry. I was expecting someone else."

"Yeah, Rufus. I heard you call out for him." Serena raised an eyebrow. "What's the deal with that?"

Lily blushed. "Nothing. He just mentioned something about stopping by to say hello, so I thought it was him."

Serena raised an eyebrow. "And you were going to greet him in a robe?"

"I was in the middle of getting ready. I thought he had arrived early," Lily lied.

"Oh. Well, anyway, I just came over to tell you about Dad." Serena looked her in the eyes. "Or did he stop by already?"

Lily nodded. "He stopped by earlier. He told me about his trip around Europe with Cassidy, and then his possible move to Tampa. What do you think about that?"

Serena shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I don't care, really. I played nice with Cassidy, but I don't think I want to be besties with her anytime soon." She snorted. "I'm _certainly_ never going to call her mom. She's not much older than _I_ am!"

Lily giggled. "I hear she's freshly potty trained."

Serena laughed. "You're so bad!" she said, playfully swatting her mother's leg.

Lily grinned. "Sorry. I can't help but be bitter toward her."

Serena nodded. "I understand. I'm willing to be civil to the girl, but that's as far as it goes." She shrugged. "I doubt it will last long anyway."

Lily shook her head. "I'm sure it won't. But I won't be here waiting to pick up the pieces for your father if and when it does end."

Serena nodded, and gently squeezed her mother's hand. She smiled at her. "Good! I'm glad to hear it."

Lily smiled back at her, and gently squeezed her daughter's hand back in return. She then sighed. "So, are you okay with your father leaving for a month and possibly moving away? He may not be winning the number one husband award anytime soon, but I know that he loves you, and has been a good father to you. At least, as of late."

Serena nodded. "I'm fine. I have Dan now. I've grown up. I'm not as concerned as I used to be about having Dad in my life. I mean, I do still love him. He's my father, after all. I'll always love him even though he's a real jerk sometimes. But I've come to terms that he's not always going to be around. I have my own life, and he has his. As long as we're not totally out of each other's lives, which I know we won't be, I can live with it." She raised an eyebrow at Lily. "And you?"

Lily smoothed out the wrinkles on the skirt of her robe. "Oh, I don't care. I'll admit, a little part of me is hurt that he's suddenly in the mood to be so faithful now that he has Cassidy, and he couldn't even bother to be faithful to me when we were married. And of course there's always that sadness when a marriage doesn't work out, but I know it's for the best. I'm no longer in love with him. I think I was fooling myself most of the time I was with him. I'm just eager to move on with my life."

Serena nodded. "Dad told me about speeding the divorce up. I guess him being with Cassidy is good for _something_. Right?"

Lily grinned. "Right! See? There's a silver lining to everything."

They both laughed.

"Well, I guess I'd better be going. I'm supposed to meet Dan in fifteen minutes at Jekyll and Hyde's," Serena said, referring to a haunted themed restaurant.

Lily raised an eyebrow.

Serena smirked, and shrugged. "What can I say? He says he's in a quirky mood. He's a writer, cut him a break! Writer's get weird sometimes. Besides, I think their tortellini is good!" She licked her lips, and rubbed her stomach the smile still on her face.

"Well, enjoy your dinner then. Thanks for stopping by. Let's do lunch soon, all right?" Lily pulled her daughter in for a tight hug. "Since you got married, I fee like we never see each other anymore."

Serena hugged her mother back tightly in return. "We'll get together next week. Just call me. We'll go anywhere you'd like." She kissed her mother's cheek, then headed for the elevators. The doors opened, and she stepped in. She smiled, and waved at her mother. "Bye."

Lily smiled and waved back. "Bye, my Darling."

Once the doors closed, Lily sat back down on the couch, and waited, her foot swaying back and forth in anticipation. Now if Rufus would just arrive, she could get on with her plan. She just hoped he had broken it off with Lisa. If he hadn't, well, she wasn't going to be very happy about it, and she'd see to it that he wasn't either.

~Begin Again~

Rufus arrived at Lily's apartment complex, feeling nervous. After dinner, he and Lisa had enjoyed the peach pie she had made. Again, she had repeatedly told him how much she couldn't wait to be his wife. Of course, this meant he simply couldn't tell her _then_ that he was going to break it off with her.

After dinner, she had wanted to call her mother then take a shower, so he had told her he had another surprise for the wedding to take care of while she was doing that. Thankfully, she had believed him.

So, now here he was, standing outside of Lily's apartment complex, looking up at the building as if staring at it would give him the courage to go in. Lily wasn't going to be very happy with him for not breaking it off with Lisa yet. He knew that. Even so, she had to know. So, with a sigh, he headed into the apartment. He quickly, but kindly exchanged greetings with Vanya the doorman before heading into the building.

He took the elevator up to Lily's floor, then walked down the hallway, and knocked on her door.

A moment later, the door opened, and there stood Lily, looking sexy with her hair up in a messy top bun, and a light blue silk robe on. Her feet were bare, and her makeup was minimal other than the bright red lipstick she was wearing. Her finger and toenails were painted a pretty shade of red.

"Come in," she said with a smile.

Rufus smiled too, and entered the room. Then, once Lily had shut and locked the door behind him, he pulled her in for a passionate kiss.

She held him close, moaning into the kiss as she hungrily kissed him back.

Rufus was in no hurry for their kissing to end. At least as long as they were kissing, he wouldn't have to tell her about Lisa. But he knew he couldn't kiss her forever. Eventually, he'd have to tell her.

Lily was the first to break the kiss, and seconds after his thoughts at that. She grinned at him. "Do you like my robe?" She bat her long eyelashes at him, and smiled in a playful manner as she stepped back for him to see it.

Rufus let his eyes roam slowly up and down her perfect body. The robe fit her like a glove, clinging to her every curve. "Of course I like it! In fact, I _love_ it. You look great in it." He licked his lips as he eyed her curves again.

She grinned. "How about what's underneath?" she asked as she untied her robe. Then, she let her robe slip off of her shoulders, and down tot he floor, revealing her completely naked body beneath it.

Rufus moaned. He couldn't help it. It was an automatic reaction to seeing her perfect body naked.

"I figured, this time, I wouldn't waste time having you undress me. Things are so much easier when you just get straight to the point, you know?" Lily purred. She had slowly sauntered over to him when she began talking, and was now pressed up against him, her lips brushing up against his left ear.

He shivered in delight, feeling his insides stir again. She had that effect on him.

"Kiss me, Rufus," she practically whispered in his ear.

Rufus stepped back. He couldn't kiss her. Not this time. Last time he kissed her, it had ended up turning into a whole lot more, and he had almost gotten caught by Lisa. No, nothing good would come from kissing Lily. Well, nothing good and _moral_ at least.

Rufus' stepping back certainly did not go unnoticed by Lily.

Lily looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "You didn't tell her, did you? You didn't tell her about us, and you certainly didn't break it off with her!"

Rufus looked away, knowing that she already knew the answer to that. He suddenly felt too ashamed to look at her.

Lily sighed. "Rufus, this is getting to be ridiculous now! How can you not tell her? You keep promising you'll tell her, and time and time again, you fail to! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're still in love with her, and you really don't want to call the wedding off!" She sounded livid. Rufus didn't blame her.

Rufus sighed, then looked at her. He really wished she'd put her robe back on. He could still see her breasts even with her arms crossed over her chest like they currently were. "It's not that easy to tell her, okay? I feel like a monster! She is such a sweet and wonderful person. She is so excited to be marrying me. She cooks me dinner nearly every night, and she takes care of me. How do I break her heart?"

Lily laughed. "She takes care of you? What, you think drugging you is taking care of you?"

"She apologized for that, and she knows how wrong she was to drug me. She isn't going to do it again. Trust me," Rufus said calmly. He found himself crossing his own arms over his chest.

"Well, either you want to be with me or you don't, Rufus," Lily said, the annoyance still clear in her voice.

"I do want to be with you!" Rufus assured her.

"Well, then, you're going to have to break her heart!" Lily insisted. "She'll get over it! I'm sorry, but you can't have both me and her. You said you didn't want to be William, but you're starting to act just like him, wanting both women."

Rufus felt himself getting angry now. "Do _not_ compare me to William!" he snapped. "I am _nothing_ like that scumbag!"

"Hm, well, William had an affair and didn't tell me. He wanted to be with both Cassidy _and_ me. You're having an affair, and you won't tell Lisa about it. You want to have both her _and_ me. Where's the difference?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Well, for starters, I'm not a married man," Rufus defended himself.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Please! You're engaged. It's practically the same thing."

"Well, I didn't have sex with you," Rufus tried next.

"You were about to! Heck, if Lisa hadn't interrupted us, you would have. Though, I prefer the term making love—at least with me" Lily said with a smirk.

"You don't know that." Rufus knew it was a weak defense, but it was all he had.

Lily stared at him, her eyes locked with his, and her arms even tighter across her chest. She did _not_ look happy.

"All right, fine! I was going to, but I didn't. I have every intentions of telling Lisa though! William was never going to tell you. He only did once you caught him." Rufus knew that _that_ one was true at least.

Lily raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you, Rufus? Because, it doesn't look like you have any intention of telling her at all!"

"I'm not lying to you, Lily," Rufus said, starting to get angry now.

"Aren't you, Rufus?" Lily asked. "I think deep down, you know that you'd rather be with Lisa. That is why you can't break it off with her."

Rufus shook his head. "Lily, no! I love _you_! _You're_ the one that I love—not Lisa. He took her face between his hands, and kissed the tip of her nose. It was safer than kissing her lips. He gently stroked her hair. "I love you with all my heart."

"Then make love to me," Lily said, both her face and her tone softening. She began kissing down the side of his neck. "I love you too, Rufus, and I need you."

"I can't, Lil. I have to break it off with Lisa first."

Lily's face and tone hardened again. "When, Rufus? During your wedding vows?"

"Don't be ridiculous! I'll tell her tonight!" Rufus snapped. He was starting to get sick of Lily's pushy attitude.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Like the other nights you swore you were going to tell her? No. You're going to tell her right now. Call her up and break it off with her." Lily stormed over to the phone, picked up the receiver, and held it out to him.

Rufus stared at the phone as if she were offering him a dead body part. "Over the phone? Lily, no! I can't break up with her over the phone!"

"Well, then call her and ask her to come over. I'll let you two have some privacy when you tell her." Lily shook the phone at him again.

"Lily, I can't break up with her at your place. It would just make it worse for her." Rufus couldn't believe Lily would even suggest such things.

"Well, then, I'll get dressed, and go back with you to your place. I'll wait in the hall, then after you break it off with her, we can go back to my place," Lily then suggested. She headed for her closet.

"That won't work either. It will be worse if you're there. Even if you stay out in the hall, she'll eventually know you're there," Rufus stated.

Lily turned back around to face him. "Well, if I'm not there, I know you won't break it off with her. I have an idea. Why don't you let _me_ tell her? Don't worry, I'll be nice about it." She smiled to show her sincerity.

Rufus laughed. "Um, no! That would be the worst option of all. She'd never get over it!" He couldn't believe the way Lily was suddenly acting!"

Lily waked over to him, and pulled him close. "Fine. But if you really love me more and not her, then make love to me. If you do that, then I'll give you one more day to tell her." She then began kissing Rufus without warning.

Rufus moaned in surprised, and kissed her back for just a brief moment, then he pushed her away. "Lily, no! I will not sleep with you while I'm still engaged to Lisa! Last time when I almost made love to you, it was a moment of weakness. But now I'm in control, and I just can't do that to Lisa. I will not be William."

Lily looked positively crushed. "So, you can't get yourself to hurt Lisa, but you find it easy to hurt me."

"Lil, it's not like that!" Rufus said, feeling horrible all over again. He tried to pull her close, but she stepped back, holding her hands in the air in a motion for him to stay away. She bent down and grabbed her robe, then put it back on, then tied it securely around her waist. Rufus sighed. "If you just give me a little extra time without me having to sleep with you..." he trailed off.

"You'll just decide you can't tell her then either because you're in love with her, and you still marry her. Just admit it, Rufus. Admit it for both our sakes," Lily said, her tone unreadable now.

Rufus sighed. "You and I have tried before, and it didn't work. I mean, how many times have we been on and off again? Heck, most of our marriage was a complete disaster. What if it doesn't work this time?"

Lily sat on the bed, and looked away. "It seems you've already made up your mind, Rufus. You choose Lisa over me."

Rufus looked away too. Her tone was unmistakable now. It was filled with total sadness. "Lisa's a good person, and I really do love her. She loves me so much, and I know she'll be an amazing wife to me."

"Like I never was," Lily said, barely audible.

"I didn't say that!" Rufus insisted.

"Just go. Please," Lily said, still not looking at him.

"Lil," Rufus tried. It was absolutely breaking his heart seeing how much in pain she was. He could barely stand to look at her because of it.

Lily finally looked at him, her eyes narrowed at him. "I want you out of my house, Rufus. You messed with my heart, and hurt me more than you could possibly imagine. You're just like William. In fact, you just might be worse."

All the compassion Rufus felt for Lily suddenly went out the window. He was _nothing_ like William, and for her to say that he was, or even worse than William, well... Right now it was feeling unforgivable. "Screw you, Lily!" He couldn't help it. He was suddenly so angry he could punch something. He was nothing like William!

Lily smirked. "That's just the problem—you won't screw me. You'd rather screw Lisa." Her eyes narrowed even more at him than they already had been. "Now get out."

"Whatever, Lily. I'm glad I didn't break it off with Lisa. It would have been a terrible mistake to leave her for a royal bitch like you!" Rufus knew it was nasty and wrong to call her that, but right now, he was simply to angry to really care.

"Get out!" Lily yelled, reaching over to her nightstand, grabbing a book, and throwing it at his head.

He ducked just in time. The hardcover book hit the wall with a loud thump, then fell to the floor with a thud at his feet.

Rufus looked at the book, then at her. "You're psycho!" he snapped.

"Get out!" Lily screamed.

"Good riddance!" Rufus snapped before finally leaving the room, and taking the steps two at a time. When he got to the bottom, he practically sprinted to the elevators. He pressed the button, then stepped in, feeling satisfied when he heard her crying upstairs. As far as he was concerned, Lily being upset to tears served her right!

~Begin Again~

Lily knew she shouldn't have thrown the book at Rufus—literally—but she was just so angry and disappointed! It broke her heart that he couldn't break it off with Lisa for fear of hurting her, but he had no problem hurting _her_ by _not_ breaking it off with Lisa. In the end, he proved that he really did love Lisa more than he loved her. She had lost her last chance with him.

Lily rolled over onto her stomach, and buried her face in her pillow. She sobbed. She knew Rufus would get angry if she told him that he was just like William, and that he was possibly worse than William. But she couldn't help it. She had to say _something_ to get him to leave. Being around him was crushing her heart too much. In a way, she supposed he _was_ kind of worse than William. Well, he wasn't as a person. But as far as actions, he was worse. At least with William, he hadn't let the affair go on once she knew about it. All right, so technically Cassidy was the one who broke it off. She knew that despite what he had said before about being the one to break it off with her. But still, William was concerned about her feelings once she knew what he had done. Rufus, however, still wanted to be with Lisa no matter how much it was clearly breaking her heart. Rufus cared more about Lisa's feelings than he cared about _her_ feelings. And that is what made his actions worse than William's. Even so, Lily certainly wasn't sticking up for William. No. She had more than had it with William as well. As far as she was concerned, both Rufus _and_ William could drop off the face of the planet!

~BA~

Words couldn't describe the pain I was feeling over losing Rufus. What hurt the most was knowing that he was in love with another woman, and that that was the reason he wasn't with me. Or was it the fact that I could have had him, and he never would have been with Lisa had I not been foolish enough to throw my marriage away to be with Bart Bass? But even after Bart died, I _still_ hadn't chosen to be with Rufus! I picked William over Rufus for the second time in my life. I picked Bart over Rufus twice in my life too, as far as that goes. The first time I was dumb enough to leave Rufus and not tell him I was pregnant, and the second time I chose Bart over him. The third time, I messed up our marriage by first lying to him about my cancer, then letting Ivy come between us. Then, I let it go all together when Bart came back into town. After he died, I still chose William over him. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't deserve Rufus.

This revelation made me cry harder into my pillow. What was wrong with me? Why was every relationship I was ever in doomed to fail? I knew the answer to that. It was because I was self-destructive. Well, at least with Rufus I was. As far as the other men in my past, well, I'll chalk that up too bad taste and poor judgment.

I rolled over onto my back, letting the tears flow freely. I sniffled. Well, one thing was for sure, I was through with men. All they ever brought me was heartache. At least, if I stopped dating all together and lived out the rest of my life as a single woman, I couldn't get my heart broken anymore because I'd have no man to break it. Besides, my heart would never recover from losing Rufus. I knew it. No man could ever compare to him, so why even try? I had tried it with several other men before, and look how that turned out! I mean, I've been divorced five times, and it probably would have been at least one more time had Bart not faked his death first, then died for real the second time. Let's face it, when it came to choosing good men, I was a total failure. Rufus was the only good and decent man out of the whole bunch, and I had ruined my chances with him more times than I cared to think about.

Yes. Effective immediately, I was through with men. I was just going to have to be single for the rest of my life. I had brought it upon myself. I guessed I should start thinking about getting a cat or two or three. After all, the way I figured, I might as well embrace this whole "single for the rest of my life" thing. I'll tell you what. I bet cats are a whole lot more, loving, loyal, and faithful than men are anyway.

~BA~

Lily climbed out of bed, slipped off her robe, then headed to the bathroom for her go-to stress reliever. She was going to take a nice warm bubble bath, and light a few lavender and vanilla scented candles. This time, it hurt even worse losing Rufus. It hurt for a couple reasons. The first reason was knowing that he could have been hers had she not screwed up so much the other times she was with him. The second reason was he had moved on. He was with Lisa, a totally undeserving woman in Lily's opinion, and he loved Lisa. He loved Lisa more than he loved her. She had lost the one true great love of her life to Lisa, an insecure psycho, who liked to drug her men. Even so, drugging aside, Lily knew that Lisa would never love Rufus as much as she did. She didn't doubt that Lisa loved him. She _knew_ Lisa loved him. But it simply wasn't possible for Lisa to love Rufus as much as _she_ loved him. Not a woman on this planet would ever love Rufus the was Lily loved him. Lily was sure of that. But it didn't matter now. Rufus had made his choice and moved on. And, no matter how much it killed Lily inside, she was just going to have to live with that. Still... It didn't mean she had to like it! She would never like it, and more importantly, she would _never_ get over losing Rufus. Never.

~Begin Again~

When Rufus got home, he was in the mood for love. He needed to be with Lisa—and now!

So, he slipped off his jacket, tossed it over the couch, then took off his shoes before heading to find Lisa. He found her lying in bed reading a book, her hair still wet from her shower.

She looked at him and smiled brightly when she saw him. "Hello, Honey!"

Rufus sat down on the bed, took her book from her, and placed it on the nightstand beside her.

"What?" Lisa asked in surprise.

In response, Rufus took off her glasses, set them on top of her book, then started kissing her passionately, his hands running up her shirt.

"Oh," she said against his lips. She giggled.

"I love you. I just want to be with you tonight," he murmured as he pulled off his shirt, then leaned over to turn off the lights.

"Well, by all means, be with me," Lisa purred, seduction suddenly filling her voice. She unbuckled his belt in the dark.

He looked at her, his eyes clouded over with lust, then he kissed her more passionately. All the way home, he had thought about Lily and how he had hurt her. It had broken his heart. Needless to say, he didn't want to think about Lily anymore, nor did he want to think about how he had broken her heart. So, instead, he decided to concentrate on making love to Lisa. After all, why feel bad when you can feel so good? And so, he made love to her.

Their love making was more like sex, rough and raw, and different from all the other times they had made love.

When it was over, Lisa grinned up at Rufus, her hand over his chest. "I don't know what got into you tonight, but I loved it! I hope we can have more times like this!"

Rufus smiled down at her, took her hand in his, and kissed it. "We will. I promise." After all, he was going to marry her in a few weeks. Then, they would have all the time in the world to do such things.

Lisa smiled, then kissed his lips. "Goodnight, my Love." She was tired, as she always got after their lovemaking.

"Goodnight, Beautiful," he said to her, kissing her lips sweetly in return.

He watched her close her eyes, then quietly, he sighed. Having sex with Lisa had been nice—wonderful in fact. It had helped him forget about Lily for the time being. But, now that it was over, he was left feeling empty inside again. His heart ached for Lily, and he wanted to slap himself for hurting her the way he had. Lily clearly deserved better than what he had been to her lately. Because of this, he would let her go. He could make Lisa happy. He'd be a good husband to her. And hopefully, Lily could one day forgive him and move on with someone who _did_ deserve her, no matter how much it was going to break his heart to see her with someone other than him. But he had hurt her, so now, whether he liked it or not, he was just going to have to live with the consequences of her one dat being with a man that wasn't him. Which of course, he absolutely hated without a doubt.


	18. Forever After

_**Begin Again**_

_**Episode 18: Forever After**_

It was the day of Rufus and Lisa's wedding. Lily hadn't talked to Rufus since their fight. She had been too afraid to. Now that she had cooled off, she had decided that she didn't want things to be awkward between her and Rufus. Nor did she want to lose him as a friend. It would be painful to have him as just a friend, yes. But, it would be even more painful to _not_ have him as a friend. So, as a peace offering, she had gone to FAO Schwarz and purchased the remote control helicopter that Rufus had fallen in love with. Sure he wasn't good at flying it, but he had loved it, and it would make him happy. It was a whole lot better to think of the helicopter making him happy than it was Lisa. The thought of Lisa making him happy was simply unbearable. She never understood how people could be happy for the one they love when the one they love is with someone else, nor could she understand even just wanting them to be happy. She loved him! She wanted him with _her_! How the hell could she be happy for him, or want him to be happy with Lisa? In Lily's opinion, people who said things like they just wanted their lover to be happy, or they were happy they found love with someone else were all full of crap!

Anyway, she certainly wasn't going to the wedding. She'd rather rip out all of her hair. It would be less painful than seeing the one great love of her life marry someone else—someone undeserving of him, nonetheless. So, instead, she had called Serena and asked her to come over. She knew that Serena was going to be heading over to Lisa's friend's house. Like Serena, her friend was a bridesmaid, and they were going to all go to the church together. Lisa had spent the night sat said friend's place after her bachelorette party.

Lily would give Serena the gift to give to Dan, who would be heading over to Rufus' after he dropped Serena off at Lisa's friend's place.

Lily took out a notecard that had a vase of lilies on the front. It was even scented like lilies. She then opened up the notecard, which was blank inside.

She thought for a moment about what she was going to write, then she wrote in it.

_Dear Rufus, _

_ I won't be attending the wedding today. I think you already knew that. It just hurts too much. I know I lost my chance, and Lord knows I had many. I do want you to be happy. I just wish it was with me instead of her. Nevertheless, I don't want us to not be in each other's lives. I don't want us to ever not be friends. You mean __so__much__ to me, Rufus, and you __always__will__! I love you more than you will ever know. You are the one great love of my life, and I know you always will be. I'll never find another love like you, so I'm not even going to try. I've decided to live the rest of my life as a single woman. No man could ever live up to you, so why bother being with anyone else? _

_ Anyway, I'm sorry I threw a book at you. You know me, I have a slight temper. I always have. Even so, I never should have thrown something at you.I was just hurt, and wanted you to leave before you saw me cry. I hope you think of me every time you see this. It was one of the best times I've ever had with you, the day you first laid eyes on this thing. Just do me one favor, okay? Don't fly it around any kids. ;) I love you, Rufus, forever and always. I'm just sorry it took me so long to realize exactly how much you mean to me. Love Always, Lil._

Lily proofread her note, then sealed it in an envelope, and wrote his name on the back. She then tucked it under the ribbon of the wrapped helicopter.

Just then, the elevator doors opened, revealing Serena.

Serena walked in, then headed over to her mother, and hugged her. "Mom, I'm so sorry! Rufus told Dan everything about what has recently gone on with you two. Dan told me of course. I honestly don't know how Rufus could pick Lisa over you."

Lily hugged her daughter tightly in return. She sighed. "Rufus and I have been through so much together. When you go through as much as he and I did together, it either makes you stronger, or it tears you apart. Unfortunately, it tore us apart. I guess it's my own fault, for always picking the wrong man over him. I let our marriage die."

"You can't play that game of who's to blame, Mom. Sometimes things just don't work out the way we want them to." Serena broke the hug, and studied her mother's face. Lily guessed it was to see if she was all right.

"Did Rufus tell Dan about Lisa drugging him?" Lily asked, walking over to her desk, and picking up the gift.

Serena nodded. "Dan can't see why Rufus is going back to Lisa either, but he agreed to be civi to Lisa for Rufus' sake. He says if Rufus can forgive her, then he supposes he can to. But he still thinks Rufus should have chosen you over Lisa."

"Did he tell Rufus that?" Lily asked, an eyebrow raised.

Serena nodded. "Rufus just kindly told him it doesn't concern him."

Lily sighed. "Well, he's probably still miffed at me for throwing a book at him."

Serena giggled behind her hand. "I would have loved to have seen _that_!"

Lily smirked. "He wasn't pleased. He was pretty angry."

Serena nodded. "I can imagine." She took the gift from Lily's hands. "So, what is it?" She gently shook it. "Is it fragile?"

"It's a toy helicopter. It flies," Lily answered. "It has a sentimental reason behind it," she then added upon seeing the confused look on Serena's face.

Serena nodded. "Got it."

Lily looked into her daughter's eyes. "Please make sure that Dan knows to tell Rufus to open it when Lisa isn't around. It's for _him_; not her."

Serena nodded. "I'll make sure he knows it. Don't worry."

Lily then looked her daughter up and down. "It's a pretty dress at least. The royal blue brings out the color in your eyes."

Serena grinned. "Thanks! Lisa let me have a say in it."

Lily smiled, not knowing what to say to that. It seemed, Serena didn't have a problem with Lisa despite Lisa having drugged Rufus, or despite Serena's claim that she thought Rufus should have picked Lily over Lisa. "So," she asked, deciding to change the subject. "How was the bachelorette party?"

Serena grinned. "We went to a strip club. Lisa refused a lap dance. She felt it would be being unfaithful to Rufus. She didn't even have anything more than one martini! The rest of us enjoyed the lap dances and a lot of martinis. What Dan doesn't know won't hurt him." Serena smirked.

Lily laughed. "It's funny how she can be a goody-goody at one moment, and a drugging conniver the next."

Serena nodded. "I know, right? It's weird." She sighed. "Well, I better be going. I can't be late for something like this!" Serena gave her mother a half hug. "Are you sure you're going to be all right?"

Lily half hugged her back. "You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine."

Serena and Lily exchanged quick kisses on the cheek, then Serena headed to the elevator. "I'll call you later tonight, all right?"

Lily nodded. "All right. I love you."

"I love you too," Serena said right before the elevator doors closed in front of her.

Lily sighed once Serena disappeared from her sight. She had told Serena she'd be all right. She only wished her feelings would go along with what her mouth had said.

With another sigh, she headed up to bed. Right now, all she wanted to do was take a nap, and try to sleep through the stupid wedding that would ultimately tear her heart apart whether she was present for it or not.

~Begin Again~

Rufus looked at himself int he mirror. He straightened his bow tie, not feeling like a man who was just about to get married. In fact, it was quite the contrary. He felt like a man on his way to his own death sentence. It's not that he didn't want to marry Lisa. He did! He really, really did. It was just that, he felt bad for the way things had ended between him and Lily. He loved Lily, and even if they couldn't be together as a couple, he didn't want to not be friends with her. He wished she'd be at the wedding today. He missed her, and he hadn't seen or talked to her since their argument. He had been too afraid to call her. He knew she was angry, and he knew that she had every right to be angry with him. More importantly, he had hurt her. He didn't want to hurt her anymore. He almost felt that the best thing for her was to stay out of her life. At least that way he could no longer hurt her.

Anyway, he knew she wouldn't be coming to the wedding. It would hurt too much for her. That thought only made him want to kick himself. Here he was, wanting Lily to come to the wedding when he knew darn well it would hurt her to come to it. It seemed he kept hurting her even when he didn't realize it! Lily deserved so much better than him, and he knew it! It was good he was marrying Lisa. Maybe now Lily could finally have closure, and find a man that truly deserved her.

Just then, then door slid open, and in walked Dan. He was looking quite dapper, and holding a big, wrapped package.

"Special delivery," Dan said as he turned around to slide the door shut. He then turned and headed toward Rufus.

Rufus smiled. "Thanks, Son! You didn't have to get me a wedding gift. Being one of my best men is more than enough!"

Dan smirked. "It's not from me. It's from Lily. She gave it to Serena to give to me to give to you. She wants you to open it when Lisa's not around." He handed the gift to Rufus. "So, you might as well open it now."

Rufus took the present form his son, and examined it. To say he was surprised to be getting a wedding present from Lily was an understatement. "Did she seem angry when she gave it to Serena?" He pressed his ear to it in case it was a bomb. He knew Lily wouldn't really send him a bomb, but he was still suspicious as to what it could be.

Dan shrugged. "I don't know. I wasn't there, and Serena didn't say."

Rufus brought the gift over to the island, and carefully unwrapped it. His curiosity was getting the best of him. He saw the card first. He took it out of the envelope, inhaling the sweet scent of lilies. There were even lilies on the front of the card. It was undeniably from Lily. He opened up the card, and read the long note that Lily had written to him. She had used up every inch of the notecard. It made him smile. That was Lily for ya. She never _could_ keep it short.

As he read the note, his heart sank. Lily loved him so much. It was clear in the note. He could feel every emotion she was feeling because he felt it too. He had all of those emotions inside him already. Reading her note to him had finally let them surface.

He folded the note, then quickly unwrapped the package, though the note had pretty much given away what it was. Sure enough, it was the flying helicopter that he had played with when they went to FAO Schwarz.

He smiled as he remembered hitting that boy with it accidentally, causing the boy's poor little brother to get blamed. He had Lily had laughed so hard that day.

The memory suddenly opened up a dam of memories. They all came rushing back to Rufus. He remembered first meeting Lily, the first time they had kissed, and the first time they had made love. He remembered old dates of theirs, he remembered proposing to her, and he remembered their wedding day. He remembered their most recent times together. He remembered and felt how much love he had for Lily. Then he thought about Lisa. He thought about all their firsts, and their dates. He thought about recent times with her, and he thought about his love for her. It didn't even come close to what he felt for Lily.

His face paled. He set down the helicopter.

Dan raised an eyebrow. "A toy helicopter? That's kind of an odd taste in gifts, isn't it?" He smirked.

Rufus pushed past him, not responding. He slipped on his shoes, grabbed his keys, then slid open the loft door.

"Wait. Where are you going? You have a wedding to get ready for!" Dan called after him in surprise. "You can't just leave."

Rufus looked over his shoulder at him. "I can't marry, her Dan. I'm in love with Lily. I don't love Lisa the way I love Lily."

Dan blinked his eyes in surprise. "Well, you sure picked a hell of a time to realize it!" He crossed his arms over his chest, and shook his head. "I mean, I'm glad you finally did, but—"

Rufus cut Dan off. "No time to talk! I have to go find Lisa and tell her it's over."

"What should I do?" Dan asked.

But Rufus was already out the door, and heading into the elevator. He didn't have time to answer questions. He had to find Lisa and break things off with her before it got any later than it already was.

As soon as he got down to the lobby, he ran out of the building, ignoring the doorman's congrats on his wedding day. He then hopped into his car, and took off, hoping that traffic wouldn't be too terrible.

The traffic wasn't great, but it ended up not being too horrible, thankfully.

He arrived at Lisa's friend's apartment complex. He parked in guest parking, then headed into the building. The doorman knew him, for he had been there many times with Lisa for small get togethers that Lisa's friend had had at her apartment.

"Rufus! Congratulations on your wedding day!" the doorman said

Rufus nodded politely at him. "Thank you."

"If you're here to see your future wife, I'm sorry, you just missed her. She and her wedding party just left about five minutes ago for the church."

Rufus held back a cry of frustration. "Aw, shoot! Well, thanks for letting me know." He pat the doorman's shoulder.

"It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding anyway," the doorman said with a wink and a smile.

Rufus smiled weakly back at him. "True. Talk to you later." He then took off, not even bothering to thank the doorman when he wished him good luck.

He sighed. He didn't want to have to tell Lisa at the church, but he had no choice now, he supposed.

He got to his car, jumped in, then headed for the church. Luck was no longer a factor, he knew. For the wedding had been doomed since the day he proposed. Actually, he knew, it really had been doomed since the day he met Lily.

~Begin Again~

Lily couldn't get herself to stop sobbing. She had slept for a little bit, but she hadn't been able to sleep for long. Soon, she had found herself wide awake, feeling too sick and depressed to sleep. She felt so depressed, it was affecting her stomach.

Since sleeping was out of the question, and she was majorly stressed out, she decided upon the next best thing to sleeping—drinking.

She headed downstairs and grabbed a bottle of red wine and a wine glass. She then headed up stairs with them, and straight into her bathroom, where she set both the wine bottle and the wine glass on the ledge of her tub. She then turned on the water as warm as she could stand it, put the tub stopper in, then finally poured some bubble bath into the water. She set the bubble bath down, then stripped down to nothing. Next, she popped a CD into her portable CD player, then turned on the player and pressed play. A compilation of mid-tempo songs began to play.

She got into the tub, and didn't turn the water off until the tub was almost overflowing. Then, once she was free to relax, she poured herself a glass of wine, and sank down into the bubbles. She sipped her wine, and closed her eyes, letting the soft music sooth her. She had chosen music that wasn't fast enough to un-relax her, but it wasn't slow enough to depress her even more than she already was. It was just the right tempo to let her relax, and try to take her mind off things. The lyrics were empowering. After all, she knew the very _last_ thing she needed to hear when she was down was sad, sappy songs to make her feel even worse than she already did. After all, that would just be pointless.

She sipped her wine and listened to the music, then poured another glass of wine. The first glass wasn't working well enough to relax her. Actually, the way she was currently feeling, she had no plans to drink anything less than the full bottle. She needed it like a heart needed to beat. Just like she needed Rufus. At that thought, she refilled her not even fully empty glass, and then took another long swig of her red wine.

~Begin Again~

Rufus arrived at the church, and quickly parked. He saw Dan's car there. He assumed Dan had gotten tired of waiting for him. _Oops!_ Oh well. He had more pressing things to worry about right now.

He shut off the engine, got out of the car, shut and locked his doors, then headed into the church. He figured Lisa would be changing in one of the rooms, so he headed straight up the stairs to the rooms.

Seeing as all the doors were open except for one, he knew exactly which room Lisa was in. He walked over to the door, and gently knocked.

"Who is it?" called Lisa's sister from the other side of the door.

"It's Rufus. I need to talk to Lisa, please," he called back.

"Say it through the door. You're not supposed to see her before the wedding!" her sister said. "Heck, I'm not even sure you're supposed to _talk_ to her before the wedding."

"I need to talk to her in private. It's important," Rufus insisted. This obviously could _not_ wait until the wedding.

There was a brief silence before Rufus heard Lisa's voice. "Oh, this is silly! I don't believe in stupid superstitions!" The sound of footsteps could be heard, and soon the door opened, revealing Lisa.

She smiled when she saw Rufus. "You look so handsome!"

Rufus felt his heart sink a little. This was going to be one of the hardest things he ever had to do. "And you look absolutely breathtaking." He meant it too. She looked so beautiful in her white Vera Wang wedding dress. The sleeveless gown had a tight lace bodice, and flowed down to the floor. It was poofy, and made her look just like a beautiful princess. Her hair was up in a curled updo, and had a diamond tiara locking it all in. Her eyes sparkled. She never looked more beautiful. Still, he had to tell her. And this time, there was no putting it off.

"Thank you." Lisa grinned, and did a slight curtsey. "What's up? What's important that you need to talk to me about?"

"Can we talk in private in one of the other rooms?" Rufus asked. There was no way in hell he'd talk to her in front of everyone. That would help neither him, _nor_ her.

Lisa hesitated. "Is this going to take long? I have to finish getting ready."

"Please. It's very important," Rufus said, not wanting to tell her that she no longer needed to finish getting ready.

Lisa looked back in the room at her sister.

Her sister rolled her eyes. "Just go." She gave Rufus the death glare. "But if you make her late for her own wedding, it's on your head!" She pointed at him with a comb.

Rufus nodded his understanding, then quickly ducked into the room kitty corner from the bridal room.

Lisa promptly followed him.

"Shut the door please," Rufus said, almost losing his voice, he was so nervous.

Lisa did as told, then turned to face him. "Rufus, what's wrong? You're starting to scare me." She looked even more nervous than he felt.

Rufus looked her in the eyes. He sighed. He really didn't want to tell her this, but he had no choice. He couldn't marry her. Not when he was in love with Lily. "I can't marry you," he said flatly. He hadn't known how to say it, so he didn't even try to sugarcoat it. He just came right out with it.

Lisa looked sick for a split second, then she quickly made her way over to him, and took his hands in her own. "Are you scared? I am too, but we're gonna do this, and our cold feet will warm right up!" She smiled. "I love you, and you love me. We have nothing to be afraid of."

Rufus shook his head. "It's not cold feet. I'm in love with Lily. That's why I can't marry you. I've been secretly seeing her over the past month. I've kissed her, I've touched her, and I would have slept with her had you not interrupted us." Rufus continued before Lisa could question the last part of what he said. "We were making out and naked, and just about to make love before you came into the gallery the other day looking for me. I lied. I hadn't gone to get a hot dog. I was there. Naked with Lily."

Rufus looked at Lisa to see her reaction. He knew he hadn't planned on telling her all that, but he figured, he might as well. She deserved to know everything that he and Lily had been doing behind her back. He wasn't William, and it was about time he started acting like he wasn't, he knew.

Lisa's face remained emotionless, and she didn't say a word for a moment "Maybe seeing each other before the wedding is bad luck after all," she said in a half joking manner before going quiet again. She was then silent for a good minute this time.

Finally, Rufus couldn't take it any longer. "Lisa, say something. Please."

Lisa looked him in the eyes. "Are you still with her?"

Rufus shook his head. "Well, no. We got into an argument when I wouldn't break it off with you."

Lisa smiled. "We can still get married," she said simply. "We've both done things we regret. I worked with William and drugged you, and you kissed and touched Lily. Whether you were going to or not, you didn't have sex with Lily. You broke it off with her to marry me, so no harm done. I'll still marry you! I love you. Nothing has changed. I appreciate you coming to me and telling me this first instead of marrying me without telling me." She sighed with relief. "We're gonna be okay."

Rufus shook his head, feeling his heart break again. "Lisa, no. I can't marry you because I realized it was a mistake breaking it off with Lily, and not breaking it off with you right away. I am still in love with Lily, and she is still the one I want to be with. I can't marry you, I'm sorry!"

"But if you marry me, we can move out of the city. We can get you away from Lily. You'll eventually get over her, and realize your love for me was always stronger than your love for her was anyway. You've gone five years without Lily. More than that even! Your feelings for Lily are just an old part of you that is still hanging onto the memories. Once you marry me, and get her out of your life, you'll get over her, I promise! You and I can still have a very happy life together!" Lisa sounded frantic now. She grabbed his hands again, and smiled at him, the tattletale tears in her eyes showing that even _she_ didn't believe her own words. She was grasping at straws and false hopes.

Rufus shook his head. "Lisa, even if it worked at first, I'd eventually still want Lily back. I love Lily, and frankly, I'm miserable without her."

"But what about me? Aren't you miserable without me?" Lisa whimpered.

Rufus sighed. "Not as miserable as I am without Lily. I tried to get over Lily by being with you. It worked for quite a while. I convinced myself I was more in love with you than I was with her. But I can stay away from Lily all I want, and I can try to marry you and be with you in hopes that I'll eventually fall out of love with Lily, but it's just a temporary fix. In the end, I'm always going to want Lily. I'm always going to love her more." He knew it was going to sound harsh to Lisa, but he was just being honest. He couldn't sugarcoat it. Otherwise, Lisa would think that he and she still had a chance.

Lisa sighed, then her eyes went from sad to angry in two seconds flat. Her eyes narrowed at him, and she gave him a look to kill. "Fine. You can have your stupid engagement ring back!" She threw it at him. "You can give it to your precious Lily!"

Rufus winced as the ring hit his face then fell to the floor. "Lisa, I never meant to hurt you. I didn't mean for—"

Lisa cut Rufus off. "You know what? Save me the stupid clichés. They're doing squat to make me feel better right now!"

"Lisa, I'm sorry!" Rufus tried, even though he knew it was lame.

Lisa, who had been turned around, whipped around to face him again. "Sorry? You're sorry? Sorry doesn't give me all the years of my life back that I wasted on you, Rufus! Sorry doesn't get me a husband! Sorry doesn't make your affair with Lily nonexistent! Sorry doesn't make you leaving me for her nonexistent!" She was shaking, she was so angry. She was yelling at him now, and her hands were balled up into fists.

Rufus swallowed hard. For a moment, he thought she was going to punch him. He knew he deserved it if she did. He shrugged. "I don't know what else to say," he said quietly, tears filling his eyes.

"Oh, don't you dare start crying!" Lisa snapped. "You don't get to be the victim here." She pointed at him. "You're the villain! You led me on, then you broke my heart!"

Rufus looked up at her. "I wasn't leading you on, I—"

"**Shut it**!" Lisa snapped, her eyes wild with anger, and her whole body trembling even more.

Rufus instantly shut his mouth. Just as he had never seen her so beautiful before, he had also never seen her so angry before. He knew better than to say anything more right now.

Lisa pointed at him again. "_You_ decided not to marry me, so _you_ can be the one to tell all our guests the wedding is off."

Rufus nodded. "Fair enough."

Then, without warning, Lisa reached out and striked him hard against his right cheek. "That can't get me the years of my life back that I wasted on you, but it sure felt good!" she said. She then lifted up the skirt of her dress, and stormed toward the door. She yanked it open, then stormed out in tears.

Rufus sighed, and buried his face in his hands. That had been even worse than he thought. He didn't care that she had hit him. In fact, he was _glad_ she did. He deserved it, and he knew it. He just wished he hadn't had to break her heart.

After a moment of collecting himself, he sighed, then headed out of the room. He had to tell everyone the wedding was off. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he figured it was the least he could do. He owed at least that much to Lisa. But after that, he had to leave. He had a plan to get Lily back. Lily had inadvertently gave him the idea. He knew he had to put it into effect before it was too late.

Lisa's sister stopped him along the way. "Rufus, what the hell did you say to my sister? Why did she just run crying down the stairs?"

Rufus looked at her. "The wedding is off." He then pushed past her, ignoring her yells for him to come back and explain himself. There was no time for that. He'd let Lisa tell her what a monster he was.

He was shaking as he headed to the front of the church. He ignored all the stares at him as he walked down the aisle.

When he got to the front of the church, he spoke loudly. "Excuse me, Everyone, I have an important announcement to make!" he practically yelled.

The organist instantly stopped playing her music.

Rufus looked over at her, and nodded politely. "Thank you." He then turned his attention back to the guests. "I'm sorry everyone came all the way out here for nothing, but the wedding is off. Lisa and I are no longer getting married. I'm sorry to have wasted your time." Then, ignoring Dan, who had just placed a hand over his shoulder, he took off. He sprinted down the aisle, and kept on going until he was out of the church, and to his car. Then, he got into his car, and took off as fast as he could go without breaking the speed limit. He hadn't seen Lisa. He assumed she was long gone as well.

He hated that he had broken Lisa's heart, and he hated that he had left everyone hanging at the church, but he couldn't help it. It would have been worse if he had married Lisa. He also couldn't help it because he was a man on a mission. He had to get out of the church, and put his plan into action. He had lost Lily too many times before. He wasn't about to lose her again, especially when this could very well be his last chance to make her his.

~Begin Again~

Lisa cried as she packed up her things at the loft. She didn't know where she was going to go. All she knew was that she had to get out of there, and that she had to be gone before Rufus got home. Though, she assumed he was heading straight to Lily's, and would probably stay the night there. She sobbed even harder at the thought.

She came across a picture of her and Rufus on the nightstand. She picked it up and stared at it for a moment. His arms were around her from behind, and he was kissing her cheek. He looked so happy with her. But now Lisa knew it was a lie. Everything about hers and Rufus' relationship was a lie thanks to Rufus!

With a cry of anger, she tossed down the photo, causing it to shatter into several tiny pieces. Then, it having made her feel a little better, she went around the house, finding every picture she could find of her and Rufus. If it had a frame, she'd drop it to the floor, and watch it shatter. If it didn't have a frame, she'd tear it into shreds, drop them on the floor, and stomp on them, all the while screaming. She knew the neighbors must think someone was being murdered in there, but she really didn't care. In a way, there _was_ a murder. Rufus had murdered their wedding, and murdered their life together. Most of all, he had ruined her happiness.

Once she could no longer find anymore pictures of them, she went back to packing her things. She hadn't brought too much to Rufus' place, but she did have two suitcases worth of clothes, and a favorite keepsake blanket of hers. She also had a toiletries bag filled with her bathroom supplies and hair stuff, and of course her makeup bag filled with her makeup. She stuffed all her shoes into a third bag, and then put her extra glasses in her purse. Then, she took out her phone, and called her sister up. She hated to admit what had happened to her. She was embarrassed, actually. But right now, she was going to have to push the embarrassment aside, she knew. She needed someone to talk to, and more importantly, she needed her sister.

So, she called her sister up, and told her over the phone what Rufus had done.

"That son of a bitch! I'm going to kill him! Where does Lily live? I'm going to go over there, and kill them both!" Debbie, her sister said.

"No, Debbie, please don't!" Lisa pleaded. "Just please come over to the loft and pick me up. All right? I just want to get out of here. You telling off Rufus and Lily will only make things worse. I'm begging you, please don't say anything to them. It will do no good anyway."

"It will do _me_ good to knock their fricking teeth out," Debbie stated.

Lisa couldn't help but smile at this, despite her deep sadness. "Debbie, I need you right now."

Debbie sighed. "I'm on my way."

And, fifteen minutes later, Debbie was there as promised. "I'm taking you home to Dallas with me," she said simply as she grabbed two of Lisa's bags that were by the door. "You'll feel better at home."

The thought of going home to spend time with her sister, brothers, and parents, made Lisa feel better. "I'd actually like that." She smiled weakly. "Where is Mom and everyone?" Her brothers and parents had come down for the wedding as well.

"They don't understand why the wedding is off. I told them I'd let you tell them. They're back at their hotel, seeing about getting their flight changed for tonight. If they can't get it changed, then we'll go first thing tomorrow. Until then, you can stay in my hotel room with me. Don't worry. I'll help make sure Dad and our over protective brothers don't bash Rufus' teeth in. Even though, it would be a sight to see," Debbie said, playfully nudging her sister.

Lisa smiled at her sister. "Do you think Lily would still want him if he had no teeth? Do you think he'd still want Lily if _she_ had no teeth?

Debbie shrugged. "I don't know, but we could find out."

Both sisters laughed together.

It felt good to laugh. Though, Lisa knew the tears would fall once she was alone again. She sniffled. "Can you take the bags out to the car please? I want to grab my favorite china, then I'm good to go."

Debbie nodded. "Sure."

"Thanks." Lisa said.

Debbie pulled her sister in for a half hug, and kissed her cheek. "Hey. You're going to be okay. I promise."

Lisa could only smile at her, for fear of crying if she tried to speak.

Debbie then took two of Lisa's bags, and headed out to load them in the car.

Lisa then put her shoes on, and slipped on her coat. Then, she grabbed her china, holding it with one hand while she held a bag handle with the other hand.

Debbie came back a few minutes later, and helped her with the rest of her bags.

Lisa paused at the door, looking at the loft one last time. She remembered all the happy memories she had had with Rufus in there. She'd like to believe it wasn't _all_ lies. Surely Rufus had loved her at one point. Just not as much as he loved Lily.

She sighed. There was no use looking back. It was time to look to the future. Heck, maybe she'd move to LA, and try to further her music career. She could find another man, one who loved her and only her.

"Hey, maybe we could move to LA after a while. There are a lot of hot guys there. And hey, I heard Adam Levine is single again. If you ask me, he's a _huge_ step up from Rufus Humphrey!" Debbie said.

Lisa grinned. Her sister always knew just what to say. She swore sometime she could read her mind. "You never know," she said with a smile. She then gave the loft one last look over, then slammed the door shut with no plans to ever return.

As she headed down the elevator with her sister, Lisa was still sad, but she felt a little bit better. Even though she no longer had Rufus, she had her family. And, right now, her family was just what she needed to get her through this. She knew that as long as she had them, she could get over anything. Even the loss of Rufus Humphrey.

~Begin Again~

Lily lie in her bed, sobbing her eyes out, and blowing her nose and dabbing her eyes with a tissue. She had no idea why she was watching a romance movie. She guessed it was because it was the only thing on TV she could find that looked interesting. This particular movie was about a woman who didn't tell her best friend her true feelings. She was in love with him, but was afraid he'd not return her feelings, and that it would ruin the friendship. He chose to be with another woman, not knowing that his best friend was madly in love with him. She could relate. Then, in the end, her best friend realized he couldn't be with the woman he was currently with because he had feelings for his best friend. He ran to confess his feelings to his best friend. The best friend admitted she felt the same way about him, they kissed, and then he picked her up, and carried her off into the sunset.

Lily sighed, and turned the television off. So much for relating. Real life was nothing like the movies, she knew. It was cold, harsh, and unforgiving.

Just then, the phone rang. She wasn't in the mood for calls, but when she saw it was William, her curiosity got the best of her. She picked up the phone. "What do you want, William?" she asked with a sigh.

"I was just calling to see how you were doing today. I know the love of your life marrying another woman can't be easy on you."

Lily almost started crying again. How did he know? "I'm fine. He chose to be with Lisa, and it is what it is. There's no use getting upset over it. I'm happy for him."

William laughed. "Yeah, and I'm Tom Cruise."

"If you just called to rub this in my face..." Lily trailed off, not knowing what exactly she could threaten him with.

"Did I not say that I was calling to see how you are? Where do you get rubbing it in your face from?" William asked.

Lily sighed. "I'm fine, really, but thank you for your concern." She was a little touched he had called to check on her. But it was too little too late. "So, what's wrong? Cassidy dump you already?"

"No, Cassidy and I are enjoying the beaches of Barcelona as we speak, thank you. Despite what you think, I do still care about you. We may not be right for each other as husband and wife, but you'll always be the mother of my children, and the first great love of my life. I care about you, and don't want you to be sad."

"Well, you should have thought of that before you cheated on me." Lily couldn't help it. She knew he was just trying to be nice, but she still held bitter feelings of resentment toward him. Especially now that he was sailing around Europe with Cassidy, the woman he had cheated on her with.

William sighed. "Look, Lily, I didn't call to argue, or rehash this. I just wanted to make sure you're okay."

Lily sighed too. "I'm sorry. Thank you for calling. I really do appreciate it. But, if you don't mind, I'd rather just go lie down now. I'm tired."

"I understand. But don't worry, Lily. Even if Rufus marries Lisa, the marriage won't last long. You'll get him back soon enough. You and Rufus are like boomerangs. One of you throws the other away, but no matter who does the throwing, you always come back to each other in the end."

Lily couldn't help but smile at this. For once, William had actually said something intelligent that gave her hope. "I just hope the boomerang's not broken."

William chuckled. "Are you kidding me? The Rufus and Lily boomerang is made of steal. Not even Superman could break it! Trust me, I should know. If Bart Bass was still alive, he'd agree."

"Have a good trip, William," Lily said, glad William couldn't see her smiling. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

"Thank you. Goodbye, Lily. And remember what I said."

"I will," Lily said. "Goodbye, William." She then hung up, feeling slightly better. Sure she still felt depressed, but at least now, she had hope.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door downstairs. Lily wondered who it could be. She looked down at her robe. It was all she had on besides her underwear and bra underneath. Not that it mattered. Though she felt a little better after William's call, she was too depressed to care about her looks. So, she headed down the stairs to answer the door in her robe. After all, what did it matter? What did anything matter now that she had her heart broken? It didn't.

She got to the bottom of the stairs, then walked over to the door. She unlocked the door, then opened it.

She didn't see anyone, but then she looked down, and gasped in surprise at what she saw.

~BA~

To say I was surprised to see the dollhouse I had been looking at that day I went to FAO Schwarz with Rufus would be an understatement. I bent down to look at it closer, and was surprised to see two dolls in it. They were sitting on the couch together on the bottom floor. The dolls were the girl blonde doll I had been looking at, and the boy brunette doll. The brunette doll was the one Rufus had picked out that looked like him. The blonde of course was similar enough to me. The blonde was sitting in the brunette doll's lap. The brunette doll had his arms around the blonde doll.

I looked around to see if the person who had placed he dollhouse here was still around, but I didn't see anyone. I looked back at the dollhouse, then suddenly, I heard a whirling noise. I look over to see the toy helicopter I had given Rufus coming my way. It flew right over to me, and hovered. It had a note attached to it, so I took off the note, and read it. It had the words, _I want you back_ on it, only the want was crossed out, and replaced with the word need, therefore making it read, _I need you back_.

I looked around to see who had sent it. I knew someone had to be there. After all, _someone_ had to be flying the helicopter. I had a feeling who it was. I just didn't want to get my hopes up even though all signs pointed to...

"Rufus!" I said in surprise as he appeared, the remote to the helicopter in his hands. He was still wearing his suit. "What are you doing here?" I asked carefully. My heart was beating so fast. I tried to calm down. Again, I didn't want to get my hopes up.

"I couldn't marry her," he said simply. "I got your gift, and read your note, and... Oh, Lil, I just couldn't marry her when I know deep down inside that you're the only woman I could ever love enough to marry! I love you more than I've ever loved anyone, and that includes Lisa. I know that's never going to change. Can you ever forgive me for taking so long to realize that?" His tone was pleading, and almost frantic now.

I started sobbing again, only this time it was out of pure happiness. I covered my mouth with my hand, and nodded. "Come in!" I said, then heading toward the door. I paused to pick up my dollhouse. It was heavy, so I just left it right inside the door to the side. I'd find a better place for it later.

Rufus came into the apartment, bringing his helicopter in with him. "I am going to be taking this one back. I bought another one since the one you gave me is back at the loft. I didn't want to go back there until I was sure Lisa would be gone," he said simply.

"It seems you've gotten better flying it," I said with a weak smile as I shut and locked the door behind him. I still didn't want to get my hopes up. I had to get the whole story before I could do that.

He grinned, and set the helicopter down on the coffee table. "Pure luck!"

I laughed at his words, and he sat down on the couch. I then sat down next to him, and we faced each other.

"So, what happened? I asked in practically a whisper.

Rufus took my hands in his, and looked me in the eyes. He sighed. "Like I said, the helicopter and note made me realize I simply could _not_ marry Lisa. Dan gave me the gift, I opened it up and read the note, and then took off practically right after." He then told me the whole story starting from going to Lisa's friend's place to try to find Lisa, then having to go to the church. Then he told me how he had taken her into a private room, and told her everything—including telling her about his and my little frolic in the back room of the gallery. He told me how he had told her his heart belonged to me, and that if he married her, he'd still want me even if he started off happy with Lisa. He told me how she threw the ring in his face and slapped him, and how she had taken off. Finally, he told me how she had made him tell everyone that the wedding was off, and how he had then taken off out of the church before anyone could ask him any questions after announcing the wedding was off. "I wanted to get to the toy store to start carrying out my plan. I already wasted so much time I could have had with you. I didn't want to waste a second more! I also didn't want to risk you already having moved on without me," he then explained.

I smiled. "Rufus, how could I move on without you so quickly? We had our argument only three weeks ago. Also, if I didn't have anyone by the time you were supposed to be marrying Lisa, I certainly wouldn't have anyone by the end of the day." I couldn't help but find his having worried cute.

Rufus shrugged. "You never know. People tend to move on quickly when they get out of a relationship. They're too afraid to be alone."

I nodded. "I'll admit I was like that in the past." I squeezed his hands tighter. "But that was before I realized that no one could ever replace you. I was ready to be single for the rest of my life because I didn't want to get my heart broken again. I also knew that, if I couldn't have you, there was no use in even _trying_ to be with another man. No one can ever compare to you."

He gently stroked my cheek with his right hand. "And no one could ever replace you. I was just too much of an idiot to see it before."

I gently nuzzled my cheek against his hand. It felt so good. "I was an idiot too. I never should have let you go all those times that I did."

"And, as I told you once before, I never should have _let_ you let me go," Rufus said, his eyes lowered with love.

"Oh, Rufus, I just love you so much!" I said, taking his face between my hands.

"And I love you, my Love. I never stopped," he said, his eyes lowering even more as he inched closer to me.

"Neither did I," I said, for it was true. I then moved in to close the last bit of distance between our mouths. And, when our lips met to kiss, it was the most perfect kiss. I never wanted it to end. That is until Rufus got up off the couch, picked me up, and carried me up to the stairs. Then suddenly kisses weren't enough anymore. And this time, I knew they didn't have to be.

~BA~

They stood in front of Lily's bed, their eyes locked on each other's.

Lily made the first move as she unbuttoned Rufus' suit jacket. She took her time. This was something she had been waiting for for so long. There was no way she was going to rush it. She got it off, and let it slip tot he floor. Then, she got to work on the buttons of his dress shirt. Once it was unbuttoned, she slid that to the floor with his jacket. Next, she undid his belt, her eyes locked on his again.

After the belt was undone, she undid his pants, then slipped them down to his ankles.

Rufus stepped out of his shoes, and pulled his socks off, then stepped out of his pants. Then, he took over by slowly untying Lily's robe.

Lily closed her eyes as he slid it off her shoulders, then kissed down the side of her neck, down to her collarbone.

He reached behind her and undid her bra, then slid the straps off her shoulders, causing her bra to fall to the floor with her robe.

Lily slid his underwear down as he began kissing her neck again.

Rufus stepped out of his underwear, then gently laid her down onto the bed.

He got on top of her, kissing her passionately as he slowly pulled her underwear off, and dropped them to the floor.

He then went back to kissing Lily—even more passionately this time. Then, after a moment of kissing, and his hands roaming her body, he broke the kiss, and stared into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

Lily nodded. "So sure." She had never been so sure of anything in her entire life. "I need you, Rufus. I love you, and want to be with you. Make love to me, please?"

Rufus' eyes lowered in a way that Lily knew meant he was feeling so much love for her. He kissed her lips softly. "I love you so much, Lily."

"I love you too, Rufus" Lily said, her own eyes lowered and filled with love for Rufus.

Rufus kissed her, then began making love to her.

Lily held him closer, and kissed him some more. It felt so good to be making love with him. It felt good because she knew that Rufus was finally home with her—right where he belonged. And this time, she was never going to let him go, nor would she ever _let_ him let her let him go. For this time, she knew they were forever.

~Begin Again~

Rufus continued to make love to Lily, finally feeling as if the void he had been feeling ever since Lily had left him the second time for Bart was finally gone. Lily had once again filled the void in his heart, and this time, he was never going to let her go. He would never let her let him go again either! He now realized, he could never live without Lily. Lily was his everything. She was the only great love of his life, and he knew that now. Lily was his whole world, and she always would be.

Lily moaned, and buried her face against his neck as she arched her back.

He repeated his actions that had just made her react like that. He wanted to give her all the love and pleasure she deserved. He loved her so much, and he planned on spending every day for the rest of his life showing her how much he loved her, and never again letting her think he loved another woman more than he loved her. He had loved Lisa, sure. But the love had had with Lisa didn't even come _close_ to the love he had with Lily. No love ever could.

Rufus never wanted their love making to end, but eventually, neither one of them could hold on any longer. But it ended beautifully, and they continued kissing as they waited for their bodies to come down from their love high.

"I love you," Rufus said again. He couldn't help it. He loved her so much, it deserved to be said way more than just once.

"I love you too," Lily said, before pulling him into yet another kiss.

Rufus sighed in contentment, and hungrily and lovingly kissed her back. There was no doubt in his heart or his mind. With Lily was exactly where he belonged, and exactly where he would _always_ belong.

~BA~

I reluctantly left Lily's body, but I knew it would certainly not be the last I'd be there. I rolled over to the left of her, but then took her in my arms, and kissed her some more. I couldn't help it. I was addicted to kissing her. After all, she was the woman I loved, and would always love.

She kissed me back for a few moments, then sighed happily, and smiled. "So, does this mean we're back together?" she teased as she gently trailed her finger over my chest. She kissed the spots her finger just left.

"Mm, you bet it does!" I pulled her closer, and looked into her eyes. I gently wiped some hair out of her beautiful eyes. "I want to start over. Let's forget about our past—at least the bad parts—and just concentrate on our future. We'll get to know each other again, and take it slow."

Lily smiled, and gently stroked my cheek. "Not too slow though. We waited long enough to be together, don't you think?" She smirked.

I laughed. "Good point!"

Lily stroked my hair. "But, I love your idea of forgetting all the bad in our past. From now on, it's you and me, and a new beginning. No more pushing each other away just because we disagree on something. Though, I'll admit, I did most of the pushing before. I promise to be more opened minded about things now."

"And I promise to take your feelings into consideration more, and talk to you first before I go making any major decisions," I promised.

Lily smiled. "Ditto."

"And most of all, we never let the other go," I added.

Lily smiled and nodded. "And we never let the other let us go. You know, William called me today to check on me. He actually said something intelligent."

I raised an eyebrow. "William? Intelligent? Now _this_ I have to hear."

Lily smirked. "He said that you and I are like boomerangs. One of us throws the other away, but the other always comes back to the one who threw them."

I grinned. "Well, what do you know? I guess William _did_ say something intelligent for once in his life. Write this one down for the record books!"

Lily giggled.

"So, did Cassidy dump his ass yet?" I asked.

Lily laughed. "Surprisingly no. They are supposedly very happy together."

"Until he cheats on her," I said, finding it hard to believe that William was capable of staying faithful to one woman.

Lily pulled me closer, and stroked my hair some more. "Let's not talk about William. I want to talk about you and me. I don't know if William and Cassidy will last or not. But I do know that I have a strong faith that you and I will last forever."

I grinned. "That's funny! I have the same faith."

Lily grinned too.

"Kiss on it?" I asked, an eyebrow raised.

Lily ran her hands slowly up my chest and kissed my neck. "I say we do more than _kiss_ on it," she purred.

I moaned. She didn't have to tell me twice!

~BA~

They lie in each other's arms after their second round of love making.

Rufus kissed Lily's shoulder. "We're soul mates, Lil. You're mine, and I'm yours."

"Mm, always," Lily said, kissing him again.

Rufus kissed her back hungrily, feeling his heart swell with love for her. This was right, he knew. It was right and perfect.

"We're perfect together," Lily said, as if reading his mind.

"We always have been," he said.

"And we always will be," Lily murmured, restring her head on his chest, and closing her eyes.

Rufus kissed the top of her had. "Always," he agreed. And, as he closed his eyes to take a nap with Lily, her wedding vows to him echoed in is head just as they had before.

"_I know that our future will be just like us: flawed and fragmented, and full of more love than I ever thought possible."_

Rufus wrapped his arms tighter around Lily, and kissed the top of her head. He knew that she was right.

**End of Season 1**

_Author's Note: First off, I want to thank every single of of you who read this first season. A special thank you goes out to those of you who reviewed. I read every single one of your reviews, and I look forward to them and adore them just as much as I adore all of you guys. Your kind words mean so much to me. Also, thank you for the constructive criticism, I know it will help me make this story better! Your good reviews make me want to keep writing!_

_Now, I have some questions. _

_1: Would you like a season two? If you continue to read and review, I for one am all for it. Now that Rufus and Lily are finally together, it's going to be all romance for them. There will be the usual problems, but nothing like this. Nothing big enough to last longer than an argument. But there will be arguments because, making up is the best part. Don't worry, I will not drag it out with them. They waited long enough to be together and are now going to only get better._

_2: How do you feel about a Rufly baby? Would it ruin it for you, or make you love them more? I know Lily is older by now, but I can address that issue if it comes to that. After all, she's not quite past her child bearing years yet, even though this is five years later as Gossip Girl made it be at the end._

_3: Would you like me to add the other characters in, and give them shorelines too? It will still be Rufly based, but I think storylines with the other characters would help fill the space so that it didn't have to be so drawn out to fill up space._

_4: What did you think of this story, now that you have it all read?_

_The last thing I want to say is, I have a new MK story coming soon to my other account, so look for that! Oh, and if you want Season 2, it will be up sometime in September. _

_Thanks again for reading! Xoxo- Judy_


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